Binary Sunset
by Providentia67
Summary: Left adrift in the Water Temple, Dark Link reawakens many lifetimes later, a dark mirror of the Hero of Courage. Unsure of what purpose he has left in a world that half sees him as a monster, Dark decides forge a new destiny out of the shadows of his old one. Hyrule might not have asked for or want two heroes, but that's exactly what they'll get.
1. Chapter 1

The black abyss of the void encroached upon the shadow's vision, as red eyes widened in fear. One hand gripping the holy steel of the blade thrust in and through him, while the other reached desperately upward.

 _Heroes are forged in darkness. Courage, is seeded from despair._

Green and gold stared down at him, shining like the sun. Sensation teased at his recollection. The taste of a summer breeze, the feeling of grass between his fingers, stone beneath his feet. It was all so close, and so, so far.

 _The deepest of shadows are cast from the brightest stars._

How fickle memories could be, copied so meticulously from the original to the wayward, fractured portion of a soul. Every victory, every hope; every joy and heroic deed. Made meaningless by the cruel machinations of an ancient evil.

The shadow choked on the blood pooling in his throat, pushed free by newborn lungs desperate for air. Salted tears crested the span of smooth skin sending ripples across a mirror-still pool.

 _I have not forgotten you, my hero. Even now, even cast out as you are._

Flesh and bone slipped away, leaving only drifting pieces of consciousness to distill as the Hero of Time took his leave, a new weapon the trophy for his slaughter. But hate fought the current of stillness, righteous anger an anchor for his will, and the shadow endured.

 _Sleep my dear shadow, and I shall make you into the blackest of suns._

Time slipped away as sand through cupped hands and the cycle continued, the Great Battle fought and won ad infinitum. All the while, watchful eyes worked and waited for the right time, until the fraying string of fate reached its threshold and destiny softened into flux.

 _This is your chance. Go, and remember that you are loved._

Under the reflection of a dire, blood moon the softly flowing waters of Lake Hylia broke, scattering droplets of water across the plane of the sacred lake and breaking the hypnotic grip of the moon. Risen from the breach, dark hair settled in wet locks across pale shoulders, and continued to cast streams of water down newly knit together flesh as fresh air set the body to bowing and heaving.

The shadow coughed and moaned, dragging himself with numbed limbs onto the island that marked the location of what had been his birthplace and his tomb, and collapsed in a shivering heap on a dampened patch of grass. Gooseflesh bloomed across untouched arms and the shadow laughed.

"Farore." The shadow gripped his right hand, fingers brushing against the dark outline of the Triforce that adorned the back of his palm. "I will make you proud." The shadow let himself fade into sleep, dreaming eagerly of the dawn.


	2. Chapter 2

Hyrule Castle was in many ways the exact same and yet very different from what Link remembered. Perhaps it was the darkness of night, but as Link crept towards its towering halls and parapets, it seemed as looming and unmovable as it did when he was just a child. To some degree he had even gone full circle, back to sneaking past guards and hiding in shadows as he had back then. The only difference was, the consequences for being caught would likely be very different in his current state than they were back then.

Link stared down at the black gloves and bracers over his arms and for the hundredth time marveled at the stark difference between the onyx fabric and his pale skin.

"Is someone there?"

The light of a torch whirled in his direction and Link dove for the safety of a nearby hedge. Sliding beneath its prickly branches, he pressed himself underneath the shrubbery and held his breath as metal footsteps drew close, hovered, and then retreated back in the direction they'd come from. Only when the sound of footsteps on gravel faded, did Link allow himself to exhale and ease himself from his uncomfortable shelter.

Link poked his head around the edge of the bush and spied the back of the Hylian soldier and then up at the softly glowing moon. The heavenly body had begun to wane since the full moon the night he'd awakened, but it was still nowhere near the dark of a new moon or even a half or crescent. The night was still too bright and the guards too vigilant for Link to sneak past them easily.

Well, he had to grudgingly admit, at the very least the quality of the Hylian army seemed to have improved since the last time he'd walked Hyrule. Link waited patiently for a dark cloud to pass over the sky and sprinted for the castle wall.

High above, just off the wing that he recognized to be the Library, light was shining from the window of the castle temple. No doubt, Zelda was inside praying to the Goddesses. Perfect.

Just as the sound the roving castle guard drew close, Link shifted the position of his sword and shield and leapt for the nearest window sill. With a grunt he caught hold and began to scale the castle wall. He made quick work of it, using the uneven stone of the castle's construction to reach one of towering temple windows and hide in its shadow before the guard passed beneath him.

Once again, Link sent a silent prayer of thanks to Farore. As unnerving as it was to wear his dark clothes and carry the black replicas of his master sword and shield, he had to admit they did wonders for his ability to sneak around and hide his pale skin. He wasn't sure what he would have done if he hadn't found the items sitting in a neat pile for him when he'd awoken on Lake Hylia. Walk around naked until he found clothes, he supposed.

Link shook the thoughts from his mind. He needed to focus. Drawing the black master sword from his back Link used it to sever the lock of one of the temple windows and open it just a slit. As soon as he did so, an achingly familiar voice drifted out to him. His ears twitched at the welcome sound.

"Zelda." Knees weak, Link slid down until he was crouched on the narrow beam of the window sill. For days now, he'd kept himself so centered on the tasks at hand. Find food, find shelter, get to Castle Town, find Zelda, that he'd been able to shove down the panic that had been growing inside him for Goddesses knew how long.

He needed answers, to find out what had happened to him in the Water Temple, about what it meant for the Triforce, for the Hero of Courage, for everything. And if anyone would be able to help, Link could think of no one who might be more capable than the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom. His friend.

Link was not an idiot. He'd seen his reflection in passing mirrors, had gazed at his reflection in Lake Hylia's surface until he'd wanted to throw up. He'd seen his red eyes and ghostly coloring. It was no wonder the other him had attacked on sight in the Water Temple; he looked like some kind of monster, down to the enlarged canine teeth in his mouth that gave him an almost feral look. It was for those very reasons that he'd kept himself hidden from the moment he'd decided to make his trek. If anyone was going to be able to see _him_ beneath all of that, it was Zelda. And if she didn't, well—Farore help him.

With a hard swallow to steel his nerves, Link pushed open the window even further and slipped inside. He dropped to the ground immediately, landing as soft as he could manage and rolling behind the nearest pew before Zelda could notice something awry.

He waited a minute, and when the pattern of the Princess' words didn't waver, he peeked over the top of his wooden barricade to get his first good look at the Zelda of this time. She was dressed as he might have expected, wearing the same white and purple dress he'd seen her in countless times in his childhood, and in fact the only real difference in this woman from what he remembered was her hair, which seemed much duller gold—almost brown—than the Zelda of his memories. The thought made him chuckle and take a quick peek at his own black hair.

It seemed fate had seen fit to darken them both.

"Who's there? Impa, is that you?"

Laughing was a mistake. Link cursed and ducked low as Zelda spun and jumped to her feet. Confusion stirred low in Link's mind. It wasn't like him to make noises like that. Not unless he was in the heat of battle in any case. Was that yet another change he'd undergone?

"I know you're there! Come out now or I'll call the guards!" From the footsteps he heard, Zelda was stepping down from the dais holding the statue of the Triforce and the Goddess Hylia and into the main body of the temple.

Link weighed his options quickly. Goddesses damn it, he'd wanted to reveal himself on his own terms. Now Zelda's first impression of him would be that of an intruder, possibly even an assassin. He grit his teeth. There was no helping it now. Link slid the sword and shield from his back and gripped both in one hand while holding the other open. No point in looking more dangerous than he could help. Courage mustered, Link got to his feet.

"Here, Princess. I swear, I mean you no harm."

Zelda zeroed in on him and shot her arm up. Eyes narrowed and palm raised, holy light flared against the skin of her hand, but thankfully didn't act other than as clear warning. "Link?—no, you're not him. Who are you, answer me!"

Keeping his hands where they could be clearly seen, Link stepped out from the pew into the column of carpet leading from the temple entrance to the Triforce shrine. He lowered his weapons to the ground near his feet and then kept both hands held up.

"It's me, Zelda. I swear."

The light in Zelda's palm grew in strength. "Lies, you look like Link, but I feel a dark presence hovering around you. You're Ganondorf's assassin, aren't you."

At the sound of their ancient enemy's name, something in Link rankled. He balled his fists and glared. "I have _nothing_ to do with that pig! I am Link, the Hero of Time!" He pressed his right hand against his chest, revealing the black outline of the Triforce for Zelda to see.

Confusion etched its way onto Zelda's face and the holy light died from her palm, even if she didn't lower it. "Hero of Time? There is no such thing. Link is the reincarnated Hero of Courage. You claim his identity and yet you don't even know his title?" One of Zelda's honey-brown eyebrows arched.

Link shook his head and his hands flew up to grip at his hat in frustration. "No—I mean, yes. I mean I was the Hero of Time, or the Hero of Courage as you call me in this era." Something like defeat welling up inside him, Link pulled the black hat from his head and dropped his gaze down to stare at the fabric that seemed to mock him. Without the garment to hold it back, his dark hair fell forward over his face, blocking Zelda from his view. "Then something happened to me inside the Water Temple," he fists shook. "And I became, _this._ "

Quiet overtook the temple, and Link clamped his eyes shut. He didn't know what he'd do if Zelda couldn't help him. What she could do even if she wanted to. _Farore please,_ he prayed silently. _You saved me, what am I supposed to do?_

A slender hand, roughened with callouses only earned in martial training cupped his cheek and beckoned him to look upward. Lip caught between his teeth, Link did so and tried not to flinch as Zelda's other hand pushed his hair back and she took a good look at his face, and no doubt the blood red eyes that stared back at her.

"I'll admit," she said, the hand in Link's hair dropping to his shoulder. "The resemblance is uncanny. Are you truly one of Link's past lives?"

Link met Zelda's gaze and gave a single, decisive nod. "I swear it."

Zelda gave a thoughtful hum, the one she'd often made when trying to appear stately and regal in their shared youth. Link was amused to see that in this time she had grown into the tic. "In that case," Zelda said, drawing back Link's attention. "I will need you to prove it."

Zelda's expression turned deadly. The grip on his shoulder vice-like, and the hand on his cheek drew back and flared a bright and dangerous yellow.

Recognizing the holy light for what it was, Link batted the hand on his shoulder away with the armored plate of his right bracer and swat at the flaring palm with his other, deflecting the beam of energy away so that it shattered one of the wooden pews of the temple instead of his lower abdomen. Zelda stumbled at the instantaneous parry of her attack and Link took the time to kick his discarded weapons up into his hands and withdraw.

He slid the black master sword into his right hand and lifted the matching shield into place, ready to deflect another attack. "Farore, Nayru, and Din, what are you doing!?" Rage and the sting of betrayal had Link's eyes narrowing and his lips draw back in snarl, making him look every bit the dark assassin Zelda had first suspected him to be.

"Forgive me," Zelda straightened her back and lifted both her hands in the air. Light flared between her palms and when she drew them back, she held the bow of light in her hands. She drew back the string and aimed a light arrow in Link's direction. Combined, the light from her weapons was bright enough they burned against Link's retinas. "But the Hero of Courage has already revealed himself in this life, and I cannot take the chance that you are one of Ganondorf's creations." Zelda fired her arrow.

"I am _not_ his!" Not daring to wonder if his copied weapons had the same powers as the originals, Link positioned the shield to take the blast from the arrow. Luckily for him, while the energy did cascade wildly around him upon impact and he felt himself pushed back several inches under the strain, the shield held, and he escaped the attack unscathed.

"Impressive." Zelda's tone was professional and unmoved, it infuriated Link. After everything he'd done, the seven years he'd sacrificed in the Temple of Time, and the horrors of the Water Temple, he would not stand there and let himself be labelled anything less than what he was.

While Zelda was still recovering from her attack, Link charged, leaping up onto the nearest pew and rushing along the backs of each row in a wide arc so that Zelda had to keep adjusting her aim in order to fire. She let another arrow free, but it flew wide and landed harmlessly against the stone wall of the temple. Link took the opportunity and lunged. Swinging with the back of his shield, he caught the arm that held the bow and pushed until Zelda fell flat on the ground. He dropped with her and pinned her bow arm beneath the weight of his shield while the other braced his sword point at her throat, arm pulled back ready to lunge forward at the slightest provocation.

Still, even as he lay kneeling above her, both of them panting from the short duel, and Zelda's life in his hands, her face held no emotion.

Anger burned in Link's chest, but he stayed his hand. Instead he channeled the dark urge into his voice and shouted.

"I AM LINK!"

The rawness of voice echoed against the stone walls, only magnifying the depth of silence that followed after. Link wasn't sure what to do. There was no way he was going to actually hurt Zelda, she was his friend. But what choice did he have if she kept trying to kill him?

As he considered his ever dwindling supply of options, Zelda spoke.

"The Link that I know would never draw his sword on the Princess of Hyrule." Her eyes dipped briefly to Link's sword point. "So, clearly you cannot be him."

Was she trying to provoke him? Red eyes blew wide and Link shot up to his feet. Ice drowning out the heat of anger in his chest, Link screamed in a display of primal frustration and threw his weapons to the ground. The black sword and shield clattered against the floor followed by a soft thump as Link dropped to his knees, arms limp and head bowed in defeat. He stared down at the red carpet beneath him and golden, Hylian crest it bore and considered the entirety of all he'd lost.

Not his great destiny, not the renown, or the admiration he'd commanded wherever he went. But the friends he'd left behind in another era, who wouldn't ever know what had happened to him or that he'd even been gone.

The Zelda that was his friend, Sheik, Saria, Epona, Navi. He'd never see them again. Link clenched his eyes shut and felt the sting as his cheeks began to wet with tears. "It's not my fault," he whispered mostly to himself. _Farore, I'm sorry. I can't do this._

Without opening his eyes, Link heard the sound of shuffling fabric as Zelda climbed to her feet. He followed the sound of footsteps and looked up to see the Princess of Hyrule standing above him, bow of light held tight in her hand.

"Just kill me," he said in a quiet exhale. "Please, just do it." He bowed his head and waited.

Instead of an arrow to his chest, or even his own sword to his neck, pale hands once again returned to his hair and around his shoulders, and Link found himself being pressed against a softly clothed shoulder and held tight in an embrace.

"Forgive me."

Link's shoulders shook as Zelda hugged him, shushing him quietly as he wept against her shoulder and rubbing his back until his breakdown subsided. Only a few minutes later when he'd managed to regain his composure and pull back to kneel on his own strength did Zelda continue.

"I had to be sure," she said, glancing to her left and right at the black master sword and Hylian shield. They looked every bit as bleak and ominous sitting there discarded as the man who wielded them. "But you are truly every bit the warrior that Link is, and every bit as selfless."

She got to her feet and held out a hand to help Link up as well. He took the aid offered to him so that they were both on their feet facing each other and Zelda looked him up and down, like she was seeing him for the first time. Sympathy leaked its way onto her features, along with a small amount of pity that Link chose to ignore.

"I don't know how you found yourself in this era," she said, hands clasped in front of her. "Nevertheless I recognize you as one who was once the Hero of Courage. Or at the very least, part of him."

Link wasn't sure where she was going with this, or what he even hoped for. But it was a weight off his shoulders to finally have an ally, and in some small way, his friend back.

"I don't know what I can do," she said, as if answering to his unspoken doubts. "But I swear to aid you in whatever way I can."

Hope swelled in Link's chest and half-whispered words teased his memories, of a time between lifetimes. _Go,_ the voice had said. _And remember that you are loved._

Farore, it seemed, was not done with him yet.


	3. Chapter 3

"You mean it?" Link tried to control his expression, but couldn't help the hopeful slant to his lips that resulted in a sour half-grin.

In contrast, Zelda's responding smile was much smoother and more comforting. "With Nayru as my witness," she said with a small tilt of her head. "Here," the Princess knelt down to collect the discarded weapons at their feet and hand them back to Link. "I trust—"

A sharp banging on the temple doors interrupted whatever Zelda was going to say. "Princess! Princess, is everything alright?"

"Thrice dammit." Link cursed and swung his sword and shield onto his back, right hand lifted up to grip at his weapon hilt.

"Wait." Zelda rushed forward and held a hand out to block Link from moving forward or drawing his sword. "I'll deal with this, go hide for now."

Link was ready to object, but the fact of the matter was the people trying to get inside the temple were fellow Hylians, not monsters. He'd been lucky thus far getting by unseen by most people, but if he was found out here, alone with the Princess and looking like a monster, fighting would be his only option. Even Zelda had tried to purify him not five minutes prior. So, with some apprehension, Link nodded to the Princess and turned on his heel towards the shrine. Just as Zelda composed herself and reached the doors, Link slid behind the looming statue of the Triforce and tucked himself against the lower left triangle representing the Triforce of Wisdom.

Wood creaked as Zelda released the locking mechanism and several pairs of booted feet bustled inside the temple, weapons drawn and shields raised. Link heard Zelda greet the guard captain with a mix of fond exasperation and confusion. "Is something the matter, captain? I was in the middle of prayer."

Link peaked around the shrine and took in the confusion passing around the guards as they realized their Princess was unharmed. "We thought we heard shouting," one said.

"I assure you, I'm fine."

The captain lifted his free hand to adjust his helmet, face turned in embarrassment. "…I see. Forgive me, Princess." The man bowed his head and the other knights followed suit. Zelda chuckled and tucked one of her braids behind a long, slender ear.

"It's quite alright, captain. I should count myself lucky to have such careful and dedicated soldiers in my employ."

Soft flushes spread along the cheeks of the palace guards and that seemed to be the end of it. There were a few more stilted apologies as the other knights made their overtures to their princess for interrupting her evening, but Zelda took them in stride and made a kind but insistent request for them to return to their patrol. All but the captain left soon after, and he would have as well, if not for a new interruption.

Instead of heavy, armored boots, another set of softer footsteps echoed down the dimly lit castle hall. In retrospect, the shadow should not have been surprised of its source.

A golden-haired knight in green carrying a sword of tinted steel rushed into the temple, blue eyes narrowed in caution as he took in the guard captain and Princess. Zelda gasped and the shadow pressed himself flatter against his hiding place.

"Link."

Ice poured down the shadow's spine followed close by a bead of sweat, and in the span of a blink the black master sword was in his hand, grip tight enough that his arm shook with the strain of it. His breathing ratcheted up and a phantom pain stirred in his gut.

Meanwhile, _Link_ didn't respond to Zelda other than to direct a small bow to the Princess and then a nod at the guard captain. As he stepped further into the temple, eyebrows drawn together in concentration, he made no sound other than the soft shifting of the chain mail he wore beneath his green tunic. The Hero of Courage scanned the temple, searching for some hidden enemy.

" _We heard shouting, and I sense dark magic nearby!"_

The shrill voice preceded a small figure, dressed in blue with tiny, delicate wings peeking out from behind Link's shoulder to stand beside his head.

Zelda's hands balled silently into fists that she kept tucked at her sides. "I'm fine, Navi. I'm sure it was just a keese wandering above the castle."

The little figure stomped her foot and set her hands on her hips. _"No!"_ she insisted. _"It's still here! I know it!"_

Link's chin jerked down in a nod and he shifted his grip on the master sword. With steady, confident steps he walked halfway down the length of the temple and gestured towards a pew that had been cracked down the center and blackened by intense heat.

" _See!"_ Navi screeched, fluttering up several centimeters and pointing as if Zelda was incapable of noticing it on her own. Link himself ignored his companion, and instead began to scan the immediate area for anything else that might indicate something untoward had taken place.

Zelda bit the nail of her thumb through her white, elbow-length gloves and mustered herself. "Captain," she said, ignoring Link for the time being to focus on the much easier obstacle in the room. "Would you please excuse us and return to your duties. The Hero shall be my escort for the rest of the night."

The knight straightened his spine and saluted. "Of course, Princess. I'll leave it to him." As soon as the captain was past the threshold, Zelda shut the temple doors and locked them once more, leaving just herself, Link, and the shadow alone in the temple.

Behind the Triforce shrine, Link tried to smother the growing tension building in his head. Heat burned in his palms, warring painfully with the chill that soaked his core. The memory of being stabbed, left to die in the Water Temple and be absorbed into the cold waters of the Mirror Room, it made him want to scream, filled him with an overwhelming urge to drive his sword through his reincarnation and see how _he_ liked being killed by his own reflection!

"Link."

Zelda's voice broke through the violent rage buzzing in the shadow's ears. Disturbed by his own reaction, he pushed the strange feelings aside and focused back on Zelda and his reincarnated self, who was giving the Princess his complete attention, but still stood tense and ready for combat.

" _Is something wrong, Zelda?"_ Navi fluttered up to Zelda's face, hovered, and returned to Link.

"Not…wrong, really," Zelda clasped her hands together and looked over Link's shoulder to meet the shadow's eyes. "There is someone I believe you should meet."

It was as close to a summons as he was likely to get, but Link hesitated. Taking in appearances, it seemed this version of himself was a fully-trained knight of Hyrule. He even had castle-forged chain mail under his clothes, whereas Link had no such protection.

He'd grown up a Kokiri for Goddesses' sake. Technically speaking, he was TEN!

Conclusion made to try and avoid a fight, Link forced himself to sheath his weapon before climbing to his feet and stepping into the open.

Navi was the first to notice him, she swiveled around and gasped when she saw just who Zelda had called forward from the shadows. _"Link! Look out!"_

The Hero turned and brandished the master sword in a ready position with a small grunt. Trusting in his fairy to act like an early warning system and alert him to danger. Blue eyes widened as they took him in, and the sword raised a few inches.

"Typical, we always were one to jump at the first hint of a fight, weren't we?" Link stepped down from the dais but went no further. A grin stretched across his face. He had to admit, as awful and traumatizing as everything had been since he'd found himself standing on an island of sand, the look on his reincarnation's face as he witnessed his double speaking like a fully sentient creature instead of a mindless beast made at least some of it worth it.

" _Link, do something! He must be one of Ganondorf's creations!"_ Navi tugged on a lock of golden hair, eyes tracking nervously between the two Links. Luckily, her partner at least seemed willing to wait and see.

"Shut up, pest!" Link narrowed his red eyes and glared. He'd loved Navi, his Navi, but she'd been the one to instigate the fight that ended with him dying in a pool of water and blood. It wasn't something he was going to forgive and forget easily. "Don't go looking for a fight unless you're willing to be the one to fight it." Focus unwavering, he drew his gleaming black sword, for once pleased by its deadly edge. "Well?"

The tiny fairy shrieked and dive-bombed for the safety of her Link's hat, crawling beneath the fabric to conceal herself in his hair.

Too late did he realize that insulting and threatening his other self's partner might not have been the best idea. Let alone drawing a weapon.

The other Link's face hardened, and he looked ready to charge when Zelda finally got her chance to intercede.

"Enough!"

The knight gasped and stumbled on his feet, as he'd already been mid lunge, but got a hold of himself quickly and turned to face Zelda with a shocked look on his face. Zelda gave him and the master sword a stern look and with pink on his cheeks and a look of admonishment he sheathed the weapon with Link following suit soon after.

With a small nod from Zelda, Link crossed the rest of the distance so that he stood across from his reincarnation before the princess.

"Now then," Zelda said with a small exhale as she regained her composure. "Introductions. Link," she looked to her Hero, "this is…Link."

Link sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is going to get confusing. Look," he said, choosing to ignore the skeptical look and the arms crossed in obvious disbelief from his double. "I'm you from a past life. I was split from a version of you that was fighting through the Water Temple on Lake Hylia and ended up trapped there."

Zelda nodded and took up the tale. "He has come here to ask for our aid. And I have agreed to give it to him."

Link took a small amount of satisfaction at the shock on the other Hylian's face, accompanied by a matching, _"What!"_ from Navi.

The fairy stuck her head out from under her Link's hat and rounded on Zelda. _"How do you know we can trust him?"_ The other Link nodded. _"He could just be trying to lower our guard and then—BAM!"_ she brought her tiny fist down on Link's head, causing the blue-eyed hero to flinch and frown up at her.

" _Oh, sorry."_

"You know, I never realized how annoying you were, before," said Link. Then to his reincarnation, "does she pull your hair in her sleep when she's under there too? "

The other Link considered for a moment, then gave his shadow a silent nod that had Navi going red-faced and fluttering over to bat at the other Hylian's forehead.

Link grimaced, snatching his black hat and using it to bag the fairy before tying it to the belt at his hip. Muffled yelps could be heard from inside as it tinkled and bumped against Link's thigh, but no one complained.

"Now that she's out of the way," Link turned to Zelda and the Hero. "I guess I don't have proof, other than the fact that I didn't kill Zelda on sight, but you'll just have to trust that I'm not here because of the King Pig."

The other Link hummed in thought but shook his head, gesturing to his eyes and then to Link's.

"The eyes? Yeah, they're creepy, I get it. But come on!"

Zelda tapped at her cheek in thought. Her focus wandered between the two Links. "Tell me," she said. "The night you awakened on Lake Hylia, do you remember what phase the moon was in?"

Link frowned and crossed his arms. "Yeah, it was full and red. Why?"

His other self huffed, looking vindicated as he pointed up to the upper section of the statue of the Triforce. The triangle that signified the Triforce of Power.

Zelda frowned. "What you just described was a blood moon. An event when Ganondorf uses the powers of the Calamity to once again give life to his dark forces."

Link stopped short, jaw loose and eyes wide as he considered. The Water Temple, the white room, there was no doubt that thrice-damned place had been awash in Ganondorf's magic. But still.

"No," he shook his head and waved his arms in a clear gesture of denial. "No. I remember, there was a voice. She spoke to me while I was in the temple."

"Who did?" Zelda asked, intrigued.

Link turned and looked to the shrine at the front of the temple. "Farore," he said. "It was Farore."

Zelda gasped and touched the back of her right hand while the Hero clenched his left. "Sweet Goddesses," she whispered.

" _Lies!"_ Navi, apparently having freed herself from her hat prison, flew up, kicked Link in the shoulder, and raced back to the safety of her partner's shoulder. _"Link holds the Triforce of Courage, why would Farore need you?"_

Link rounded on the fairy and his palms itched with the urge to crush her between them. "Say another word," he said between grit teeth. "And I'll pluck your wings off."

"Link!"

Zelda's outraged shout brought both Hylians to attention, Link with minimal remorse on his face and the Hero looking confused as to why he was the one being yelled at. Frustrated at herself and everyone around her, Zelda groaned and brought her face to her hands. "Enough. The truth of your origin," she said to the dark-haired Link, "we may discover another time. The important thing is what you plan to do now that you walk free again."

All eyes moved to Link. He sighed, stowing away the simmering frustration in his gut for the time being to cross his arms and lift his chin at his reincarnation. "I might not be the Hero of Courage in this era," he said. "But I was once the Hero of Time, and I have a serious bone to pick with Ganondorf for turning me into this," he gestured to himself. "So, that's what I'll do. With your permission of course, Princess."

Link offered Zelda a small but formal bow. The same, he realized, he'd seen Ganondorf give to King Rhoam when he was a child. The thought irked, but he supposed it wasn't like he had a wide selection of memories regarding royal etiquette work with. Either way, Zelda seemed to approve and she gave him a smile and a nod.

"It would be my honor. But first," she walked up and took a hand from each Link. "We really must decide what we will call the two of you."

" _Yeah, there's only one REAL Link-oof!"_ Though she might not have realized it at the time, her Link clamping his free hand over her as she shouted was probably the only thing that saved Navi from the venom his shadow was sending her with his glare.

"Annoying gnat," the shadow muttered. Then he sighed, he might hate to admit it, but really if someone had to go by another name, it would probably have to be him. He shrugged and nodded his head in the Hero's direction. "I was born from his past life's shadow. So, I suppose you can call me that."

The Hero arched a golden brow but said nothing.

Zelda on the other hand, had no such inclination to remain mute. "Shadow?" She cupped her chin and seemed to consider. After a moment she shook her head. "No. Shadow suggests something less, something cast off from the greater whole." She set her hands on her hips and smiled.

"You are something else, something wholly your own. Not a shadow, just…dark."

For the first time since she and her Hero had entered the temple, when Navi spoke, she managed to keep her voice just shy of shrill. _"Dark huh."_

The set to the Hero's jaw as she said the words seemed to convey his approval and he compounded that with a clear nod.

Zelda echoed the sentiment. "Yes, Dark." She turned to him and, releasing Link hand from her grip, clasped Dark's hand in both of hers and squeezed. "It's a pleasure to formally meet you, Dark."

Dark stared between the Hero, Navi, and Zelda. He squeezed Zelda's hand back. "The pleasure is mine, your Highness."

Sunlight peeked through the circular window cresting the easternmost side of the temple, shocking its inhabitants with how much time had passed. _"Oh wow, it's morning already."_ Navi yawned and stretched, nearly tumbling from her perch on Link's shoulder as she arched her back.

Zelda giggled. "Yes, indeed. Link, I wouldn't want to keep you from your duties any longer." Link huffed and nodded, gently tucking Navi beneath his hat to rest before giving the princess a salute. Zelda responded with a nod.

Link marched for the temple doors, but stopped as he pulled them open and turned to face his shadow. The Hero of Courage's look was grim as he set his hand on the hilt of the master sword and waited.

Dark laughed and replaced his hat back on his head. "Message received loud and clear, Hero."

Satisfied that his warning was made, Link lowered his hand and left the temple.

Once she and Dark were well and truly alone, Zelda sighed. "Oh my."

Dark turned and watched, intrigued as Zelda's stately posture relaxed and the Princess lowered herself onto a pew and yawned. "You kept me up all night. I'll have petitioners knocking at the castle gates within the hour, you know."

Dark laughed and plopped himself down on the ground across from Zelda, leaning back to rest against the side of the pew rather than sit directly on the wooden bench. The two observed each other for a while in silence. Then, "Not my fault," said Dark. "I didn't ask for this."

"Fair enough." Zelda looked up to the arching supports that made up the temple ceiling. "I can't imagine how strange this must be for you."

Instead of answering right away, Dark played with a piece of loose thread on the hem of his black tunic. "I don't know," he admitted. "Coming here from Lake Hylia, seeing you, _him_. It's all so familiar, but at the same time everything's different."

"If what you said is true, and Farore did bring you back from the Water Temple," said Zelda, a small furrow forming between her brows, "then I have to wonder. Why now?"

Dark lifted his shoulders and let them drop in a lazy shrug. "No clue." He propped his arm against a bent knee and stared at the outline of the Triforce that sat stark against his pale skin. "I don't even know if this mark has any meaning anymore." He turned his wrist so Zelda could look at the mark as well.

Zelda studied the black Triforce and then looked down at her own. "It must," she said. She clenched her hands in her lap, and Dark realized with a small shock that her fists were trembling. "I-I haven't discussed this with Link, but," she met Dark's eyes. "I've had glimpses of the past, impressions of previous lives. And they trouble me."

"Oh?"

Zelda nodded. "There are few records in our history books, and my archaeologists have found very little evidence of its validity, but I know it's true."

"What's true?"

"Dark, I believe the cycle of the Triforce is breaking."

The air left Dark's lungs like he'd been sucker punched, and he found it difficult to hold eye contact with Zelda as her expression broke into one of desperation and uncertainty.

An unbidden memory of Sheik, standing tall and deadly in the Temple of Time, ready and willing to face down whatever darkness came his way settled in the forefront of Dark's mind. He'd had red eyes too, he remembered. And he'd been so sure of himself. Zelda, he thought, should be like that too.

"Impossible," he said, brushing off her doubt. "You and I have defeated Ganondorf hundreds of times. And Link looks capable enough, you'll defeat him in this era as well."

"But we don't always win," said Zelda, her face insistent. "I've seen it in my sleep. I see Link dead or dying, or myself corrupted by darkness. I've felt the passage of hundreds of years until the cycle manages to right itself again."

Dark wondered if Zelda had even realized she'd gotten to her feet. She was staring down at the ground before her, more ranting at herself, he surmised, than with him. He stood as well, but didn't try to interrupt.

"But I don't remember how or why those things happened. Nayru has only allowed me the wisdom to know that failure _is_ possible." Zelda clasped her hands together. "Maybe even likely. And now, now you're here."

Rejection clawed at Dark and he grit his teeth. "What, so now I'm an ill omen?"

"No!" Zelda rushed over and grabbed Dark's hands in hers. She moved so quick it shocked the anger right out of him. "No, I don't want to believe that. I _choose_ not to believe that," she said.

Dark arched a brow and waited.

"If what you said is true. If Farore did intercede with fate to bring you here, then maybe… maybe she knew we'd need you." Zelda smiled and Dark's eyes widened at the hope he saw in her expression. "Maybe she knew we'd need two heroes to set things right again."

Dark swallowed and took his hands back. Suddenly all too aware of the weight of destiny that had followed him in his own time. The pressure on his shoulders had been so heavy he'd lost all will to communicate with those around him for fear of breaking their perception of a perfect savior. Terrified of revealing the child beneath the warrior. Somehow, in the short time since he'd been brought back, he'd forgotten, and his voice had returned.

"I'm not the Hero of Courage anymore," he said, drawing his black sword. "But," he set the sword on its point and knelt before his princess, "some part of me is still Link. And I will always protect you, Zelda."

A spot on the carpet between him and Zelda darkened, and shortly after another spot joined it. "Thank you."

For the first time in what must have been close to a thousand years, Dark felt like himself again.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you certain I can't persuade you to stay. Another day, at least."

Dark hid his smile. Keeping his back to Zelda as he collected his newly forged set of chain mail and pulled it over his cloth undershirt. He followed that with the black tunic he'd collected from Lake Hylia and adjusted the fit before turning to face the princess.

"I appreciate the offer, Princess. But I think my time would be better spent elsewhere, don't you?" Dark smirked as he went out of his way to meet Zelda's eyes. The few days he'd spent at Hyrule Castle while waiting for the new armor Zelda had insisted upon had taught him that his red eyes unnerved most people when under their direct focus. It was actually quite useful, when it wasn't frustrating.

Rather than backing off however, Zelda stepped forward, took one of Dark's arms, and began to tighten the straps of his bracers. "You're not nearly as frightening as you seem to think you are," she said, giving him her own little grin and setting to work on his other arm.

Dark scoffed and collected his sword and shield from a bench. "On the contrary, you're under the impression everyone here is as brave as you." He swung the weapons onto his back and moved over to a nearby table where a collection of knives and other small weapons had been spread out for him.

Zelda trailed behind him and plucked a thin boot knife from a set. She offered him the hilt. "Is that why you insist on sleeping in the stables every night?" At Dark's odd look as he accepted the knife, she continued. "The maids like to gossip, and they know no one has spent the night in the rooms I provided you."

Dark hummed and slid the knife into his right boot, tucked between the straps of his greaves. "It's more comfortable there," he said with a shrug.

"I don't see how that's possible."

Grinning at the pout Zelda probably didn't realize she was giving him, Dark slid his belt and pouch into place. "I'm not like Link, Zelda. I didn't grow up in Castle Town, and I was never really a knight."

Zelda gave quite an unladylike roll of her eyes and turned to collect a bundle of dark cloth that was sat near the barracks entrance. "Still, even the outlying villages must have beds more comfortable than a hay pallet."

Smirk unfaltering, Dark took the bundle and shook it out to reveal a black cloak. "Again, you're assuming I lived in a Hylian village." He swung the cloak over his shoulders, masking his weapons. "I grew up in Kokiri Forest. I quite literally slept in a tree."

"Oh," Zelda said, a slight flush blooming from her cheeks to the tips of her ears. "Well I guess that makes sense then."

"Don't worry about it. Makes camping out in the forest most nights much easier than you'd think." Dark laughed, and when it became apparent to Zelda that he didn't hold her assumptions against her, she chuckled as well.

Side by side, Dark and Zelda exited the castle barracks and started towards the small set of side gates that would open to the Romani Plains. Though the sun was starting to set, Dark still pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, masking his face and eyes from any casual passersby. A large pack, stuffed full of food and materials for setting camp sat waiting for him upon their arrival. Dark shouldered it with a small grunt and turned to give his goodbyes.

Still very aware of the two castle guards standing sentry at the top of the gates, Zelda reached out and took one of Dark's hands. "You should take a horse with you," she said, glancing back over her shoulder towards the distant stables. "It's a long road to Gerudo Town and longer still without a horse to help carry supplies."

"I appreciate the offer," said Dark, his fingers twitching for his pouch. "But it wouldn't feel right, riding another horse besides Epona. Besides, if my goal is to remain incognito, horses aren't exactly common in the Gerudo Desert."

His hand was dropped and Zelda stepped closer to him. Close enough to whisper and be heard, but not so close that the guards above them would assume something untoward. Dark's eyes narrowed and his grip tightened on his pack. "What is it?" he asked.

"I wish I didn't have to ask this of you," she said. "But Ganondorf has been frustratingly reticent in his actions. And I refuse to just sit by and wait for my kingdom to be attacked."

Under cover of shadow and the length of his cloak, Dark gave Zelda a small smile. "I was the one who offered," he reminded her. "And it's not like you could send Link. That might as well be a declaration of war."

Zelda gnawed on her lower lip. "I just- I don't want you to think I'm sending you because you're expendable. But if Ganondorf is gathering his forces for an attack," she let the thought stand on its own.

"Say no more." Dark knew the value of a preemptive strike. If he'd been able to gather his wits quicker, it might have been him who left the Water Temple. Link and Zelda were bound by a kind of code; to maintain the peace for however long the King of Evil allowed it. Dark was under no such compunction anymore. And if he could help stop another great calamity from falling over Hyrule by breaking the rules, it wasn't even a question that he would.

Zelda didn't try to stop him as Dark set off for the distant line of trees that rimmed the surrounding plain, and Dark didn't look back. Night would fall within the hour, and he intended to be well on his way by the time it became necessary to make camp.

He nearly made it too, when the sound of far off hoofbeats drew him up short. Along the burning, twilight horizon his eyes were drawn to a lone rider with a glittering ball of light trailing close to his shoulder. The rider stopped when it became clear that he had gotten Dark's attention, and Dark offered the green-clad knight a lazy salute.

Much to his surprise, Link responded with a solemn nod, drawing his horse up to rear on her back legs before turning to race back in the direction of Hyrule Castle. Dark tracked Epona's progress for a short time, but too soon he turned and crossed the rest of the way into the trees.

"Take care of everyone for me while I'm gone, Link."

The night and following days passed relatively uneventful. With the exception of the fact that Dark was beginning to regret refusing Zelda's offering of a horse. The weight of his bedroll, collection of wood and flint, and food that Zelda had sent him off with slowed his progress, and Dark decided to direct his course west, towards the Southern Garrison of Hyrule, where he hoped to unload some of the items he found he had little use for. First and foremost of those being the vast array of bedding and tent material.

As he'd soon learned during his nights spent in the castle stables, Dark had little need of sleep. Or to eat for that matter. It was odd, but after spending the day hiking through untamed forest, Dark had found that while he did eat to replenish his stamina, he could not recall ever getting the familiar hunger pangs that plagued most creatures. But then, as he thought about it, he hadn't eaten or slept the whole time he'd made his way to Hyrule Castle from Lake Hylia. At the time he'd given it little thought, subconsciously attributed it to adrenaline, but perhaps not. Maybe it was simply another factor of whatever dark magics had created him in the Water Temple. He did however, need far more water than seemed rational.

Dark had quickly adjusted to trailing along or near streams or rivers, criss-crossing his path along the extensive map he'd been given so as to arrive at freshwater ponds and lakes as often as possible. He'd even gone so far as to empty some of his food bundles and convert them to carry water instead. Again, he passed the trait off as another side-effect he would have to adjust to.

All in all, by the time he arrived at the bustling roads and scattered homes stationed around the Southern Garrison posting, Dark had successfully acclimatized himself to his new state of being, and made his way to the building marked as a general goods store with a good idea of what he would have to buy and sell.

Inside, Dark spotted the shopkeeper talking in animated tones with another man who appeared to be a fellow traveler, based on the precarious tower of bundles and tall lantern he carried with him. Dark gave the two their privacy and instead perused the goods on display while they spoke.

"I'm telling you," he overheard the traveler say over the clamor of his possessions. "They're gettin' bolder. Coming this close to the castle."

Dark turned from the large crate of bananas on display and moved closer to the pair, taking interest instead, on a set of deep purple clothes that had been put on display over a wooden mannequin. The description below boasted of the clothing's ability to mask sound. Dark found the thought intriguing.

"Don't be silly," the shopkeeper said. They're a myth, these Yiga," he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture and pointed towards the clothes that had caught Dark's attention. Or more specifically, the red symbol embossed on the front. "Went extinct years ago."

Dark frowned. "What do you mean extinct?" he asked, lifting a hand to the thin but soft material and turning to the two men whose attention he'd drawn. He kept his face turned down and out of sight. "This is the mark of the Sheikah." He'd seen Impa and Sheik wear the mark often enough to recognize it.

The shopkeeper looked thoughtful at the remark, but the traveler laughed. "Nah, you're mistaken sonny, they were wiped out. Apparently a few survived for a bit down in Kakariko 'til a few decades ago, but now? All that's left are them Yiga. Nasty fellas."

"Didn't think anyone your age even remembered the name Sheikah," said the shopkeeper who wandered over, took the set of clothes from the mannequin, and folded them up at his counter. "Shame really, my Pa used to say how they were the protectors of the royal family."

Dark hummed his agreement, silently reeling over this new knowledge. Could the Sheikah have really all died out? Or become nothing but roving bandits like this traveler seemed to think? Dark frowned. Perhaps, if they'd grown desperate, these Yiga Clan had aligned themselves with Ganondorf. Dark made the mental note to investigate after he'd done his reconnaissance of Gerudo Town. Or question Zelda herself, if he made his way back to Hyrule Castle first.

While busy spinning the wheels in his own head, Dark missed the traveler finishing his business, leaving only himself and the shopkeeper behind. "So," he said, drawing Dark's attention back. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Oh." Dark shoved his unease at this new information aside and threw down his pack. He rifled through and pulled out his bedroll and tarps as well as a sack of carrots. "Just came to sell these, or maybe exchange them for a couple of water pouches instead."

The shopkeeper whistled in appreciation as he took in the quality of the materials Dark was handing over. "You sure? These are pretty nice, much better than anything you'll get around here."

Dark shrugged. "Won't need them."

"Everyone needs a place to sleep, friend."

"I usually just end up napping up in a tree," Dark admitted with another small shrug. He sensed the shopkeeper trying to meet his eyes under his hood but avoided it. "Just the pouches if you don't mind."

"Well," said the shopkeeper. "I don't have anything worth all this but," he hesitated then pushed the bundle of clothes in Dark's direction, "how about these too?"

"I-I couldn't." Dark wasn't sure how the shopkeeper had found himself in the possession of the Sheikah clothes, but it was clear by the way he handled them that they held some personal value. Careful not to expose his face, Dark peeked up to take him in properly as the man started exchanging Dark's goods for rupees.

On the whole, he was unremarkable, a plain, soft looking Hylian who wore plain clothes and had the kind of smile most common in people who made their living selling things. If anything, the only oddity in his look was the stark white of his hair, despite his youth. Dark lifted his hand from the materials pushed before him, not having realized he'd been touching them.

The shopkeeper laughed. "Please, son. This kind of thing was made for an adventurer, not to just sit on a pedestal in my shop." Without waiting for a response, he wrapped the clothes in a tarp and stuffed them into Dark's emptied pack. "Just promise you'll take good care of it, yeah." He pushed the pack back in Dark's arms.

"I will." After a brief farewell Dark exited the shop, promising himself to return if he could. If only to assure the shopkeeper that he'd made proper use of his goods.

Dark set off down a well-paved road that his map indicated would take him as far south as the Forest of Spirits. As luck would have it, it turned out the traveler from the shop was also following the same path. A market road, he discovered as the traveler was soon met by others carrying equally heavy packs, or even carts. Dark sneered and kept himself just off the beaten path from the group, though he didn't stray any farther than that. The large company, and the continuous noise they were making would drive off most creatures that might come their way. Not to mention their trek would mask Dark's. While a lone wanderer might draw suspicion, a group almost never did. That didn't mean Dark had to like them though. Something about all the noise they made and their constant cheerfulness he found nauseating.

Not to mention, it might have been leftover bitterness from the Garrison shop, but it still poked at something dangerous in Dark whenever the merchants stopped to gossip more about these supposed Yiga Clan members accosting people on Hyrule roads. The Sheikah were a proud and noble warrior culture. Even if they didn't exist anymore, Dark didn't like the idea of their memory being sullied by these rumors. And each day that passed when Dark was forced to listen to it all, the more that anger burned and Dark had to remind himself that these were Hylians he was trailing, not monsters he could work out his restless aggression on.

He'd have to make do with the odd, unlucky chuchu instead.

It was five nights later when it all came to a head. Dark had decided to camp just southwest of Lake Kolomo, safe under the cover of trees that bordered the main road the band of travelers were taking. If he searched, Dark could spot the orange glow of their campfires not far off, though personally he preferred to watch the sunset fireflies that were flitting overhead. With his cloak spread out beneath him and the black master sword in his lap, Dark took up a whetstone in one hand while the other tested the edge of his blade.

Dark hissed as a line of red appeared on his thumb. "Still sharp," he whispered to himself and he replaced the whetstone in his pack. True, the real master sword had never needed anything more than a decent cleaning every now and then, but Dark hadn't honestly believed his copy would have the same durability as the original. Let alone stay sharp after use.

And he had used it, even if only on chuchus and trees as he tested the limits of his body and skill. Any other weapon would have broken after so much abuse, but not his. Dark made to slide the sword back into its sheath when the sound of a unfamiliar footsteps made his ears twitch.

"Um… ex-excuse me?" Dark slid to his feet and wandered closer to the camp when he registered the voice. It quavered, aborting itself mid-sentence in the appearance of distress, but there was an edge of mirth underneath it all that screamed wrong. Dark left his pack behind and slid behind one of the merchant carts at the far end of the camp. Hiding in the shadows, he took a good look at the newcomer.

"Excuse me?" It was a female Hylian, with short brown hair and the garb of yet another trader. A small lamp hung from the corner of her single pack, and her hands were balled into tight fists that she held close to her chest. "Do you know which way I should go if I wanted to get to the Gerudo Desert?"

Dark frowned. The woman's eyes kept flitting between the different travelers, never settling on one for more than a second. She was practically vibrating with energy. It was such a contradiction from the words she was spouting. He recognized something he'd only ever witnessed in himself, or Link he should say. This was someone who was used to being underestimated, and took pleasure in knowing they were wrong.

The traveler from the shop Dark had visited was the first to get to his feet and address the stranger. "Don't you worry. I know the way," he said. Dark flinched as the girl did a little jump for joy, and her mouth spread in a wide grin.

"Oh, good," she gushed. "I was fortunate to meet a kind soul like you. Now I can bring back something valuable from my journey." The traveler and his companions looked pleased that he had been able to help. Dark wanted to groan. How could they not recognize the killing intent the girl was radiating?

Regardless, their ignorance didn't last long. The girl's expression turned feral. "It's your head."

If he'd been more invested in protecting the Hylians, Dark might have been able to save the traveler. Unfortunately, it wasn't until he processed the giant sickle slicing through the man's neck that he remembered to move.

It occurred to Dark, as he rushed through the collection of stunned merchants, that Link would not have made the same mistake. Then again, Link would have been travelling on Epona and never come across this group. So, he supposed it was a wash in terms of maintaining hero standards.

The girl looked surprised when Dark's sword blocked her next swing, and from one blink to the next she was performing an impressive back flip in the air and quite literally exploded in sparks of red light that accumulated in an inverted Sheikah symbol. Dark cringed against the sudden light. Unlike the other merchants, he'd been travelling by the light of the moon, and his eyes couldn't adjust to the bright flares. He heard rather than saw the sickle cutting through air towards him and stumbled back, tripping over a discarded piece of bedding. Dark ended up flat on his back, making a clumsy roll over his shoulder to get back up while his cheeks burned in humiliation.

Sparks now gone, he could see that the girl had made quite the transformation. Instead of her generic wool clothes, she was now dressed in a tight black and red bodysuit that covered her from head to toe, with only a white mask and a collection of hair pulled back in a ponytail for definition. Her sickle she held in a close reverse grip, and in it Dark recognized a practiced hand.

"She's dangerous. Get out of here." Dark didn't look back to see if the other travelers were following his orders, he kept his eyes pinned on the reverse Sheikah Eye on the girl's mask. Yiga Clan, he surmised.

"W-who are you? You're clothes, you look like..." They didn't have time for this. The Yiga girl had yet to attack again, she seemed cautious now that Dark had arrived. But he doubted that would last for much longer.

"You heard me, run!" Dark swept back with his sword, frightening the nearest of the caravan who had been cowering close to his back. He didn't much care. The rest of them scrambled for their things, or at the very least what they couldn't bear to leave behind, and ran off the way they had come. Back in the direction of the garrison town.

"So much for incognito," he muttered. There would be rumors of him all across Hyrule by week's end.

Mercifully, the Yiga girl waited until the others had disappeared down the road to act. The hand that wasn't holding the sickle closed into a fist up near her mask and she giggled. "Oh ho, brave of you to stay and fight. Don't you know what I am?"

Dark huffed and brandished his weapon with a small flourish. "Yiga Clan. I've heard of you."

By the tilt of her mask, the girl had turned to study his sword. No doubt, she would recognize the hilt. "Think yourself a hero, do you?" Without warning she charged, swinging her sickle in a wide arc. Instead of blocking, Dark lunged forward and rolled past her, clearing the range of the abandoned camp and hopefully, any tripping hazards that might remain. Like for example, a dead body.

The Yiga laughed and made a gesture with her hands. In a flurry of dark feathers and a gust of wind she was gone. "What the-?" Dark sagged, sword tip falling to the ground as he stared at the empty space. Something tingled at his senses, and Dark barely managed to lunge out of the way as a popping sound preceded the girl materializing inside the range of his sword arm. Dark cursed and caught the curve of the sickle in a clumsy block when she made her next swing.

"You know," she said, leaning in so the plane of her mask was inches from Dark's face. "I've always wondered what it'd be like to kill the Hero of Courage. Let's see how you measure up." The girl back flipped again and retreated by several bounds before making the same gesture and disappearing again.

This time though, Dark was ready for it. He listened for the sizzle and pop and spotted a glowing light up above. He rolled away in time to dodge as the girl came down where he'd been standing, the point of a knife digging into the ground halfway to the hilt. It continued that way for some time, much to Dark's growing frustration. The forest was silent but for his increasingly exhausted grunts and the girl's pointed laughter. And the next time Dark parried a blow from the sickle, his arms shuddered beneath the weight of the blow. He couldn't take much more.

On the next attack Dark was too slow to move out of the way when the girl appeared beside him, and he bit his tongue hard to keep from crying out when her weapon sliced a clean line across his exposed back. Finally making headway, the girl laughed and continued to charge forward, swinging high to take off his head.

Embarrassed rage ate at him as Dark made a hasty retreat out of her range. His first time getting into a proper fight since the Water Temple and this was how he fared!? No wonder he'd lost to the other him. He was pathetic.

The course of the fight had Dark retreating back to the clearing where he'd left his pack and he kicked it aside to prevent it from getting in the way. No, he decided, channeling the fury building in him and lifting his sword. He had a job to do, he would not fall here.

The next time he heard the Yiga girl popping back into existence Dark knew where she'd appear. He swung for the ball of light that always seemed to appear before her. The pained gasp he heard as sword met flesh was satisfying, and Dark grinned as the girl stumbled back, gripping the gushing wound at her side that was steadily staining her outfit an even darker red.

"And you call yourself Sheikah," Dark said between heavy pants. It felt so good to have blood on his sword again, like he was getting his second wind. "You're nothing but a thug."

That seemed to strike a chord with the girl. Instead of laughter, for the first time the Yiga snarled in rage and made a mad dash for Dark. They exchanged a series of blows, the girl foregoing her teleportation trick in favor of pure savagery; something Dark didn't mind one bit.

Under the light of the half moon they fought for what could have been hours. By the time the adrenaline rush was beginning to lag, Dark was covered in cuts, some superficial, others less so, and his body ached. But from the way the Yiga girl's steady crouch was beginning to falter, she wasn't doing much better. Her left arm was tucked tight against her chest and she was favoring her right leg where Dark had scored a hit across her thigh.

It was time to end it. The Yiga girl mustered herself and charged with Dark following suit. When she came in range, Dark swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming just above her waistline, too low to duck and too high for her to jump on an injured leg. It would cleave her in two.

Except it didn't.

Dark wasn't even sure how it happened, but one moment the girl was at eye level, and the next he felt a tug at the back of his calf and his leg was being swept upward. His balance was completely thrown and the sword went tumbling from his hand as he landed flat on the ground, the air pushed from his lungs. He arched in a gasp but before he could recover enough to stand his arms were pinned by two legs and the sickle was poised over his neck. With every breath he could feel its edge against his skin. The white mask stared down at him.

"Looks like I win. Not bad for a thug, huh."

Dark grit his teeth and refused to show his trepidation. The mask above him canted. "What?" she said. "One loss and suddenly you're not so talkative anymore? How boring."

The sickle was removed from his neck, but the weight on his arms intensified as the Yiga shifted the position of her knees and steadied her perch. Dark clenched his fists and tried to throw her off, but he was too tired. He struggled for only a few seconds before going limp and sinking flat against the ground.

The Yiga clicked her tongue in annoyance and looked away from Dark to where his sword lay abandoned off to their right. "You're an odd one, dressing up like you're the Hero of Courage. Tell me, how do you know the name Sheikah?"

Dark let out a single chuckle. "Not telling. So either kill me or get off, I have places to be."

"Rude." The Yiga made a frustrated sound and flicked Dark across the forehead. "You must have some connection with the royal family, otherwise-" the girl trailed off as she seemed to notice something in Dark's face.

"What?"

The girl didn't answer other than to drop her sickle completely and use her uninjured hand to sweep the dark hair from his face. Although he couldn't see her face through the mask, Dark imagined she was gawking at his eyes.

"You- you're Sheikah…"

Dark screwed his face up in confusion. "What? No, I'm-"

In a flash the girl was gone. Dark seized the opportunity and rolled to his feet, dashing for his sword before scanning for where the girl had disappeared to. He found her crouched over his abandoned pack, holding up the shirt he'd been given with trembling hands.

"The Sheikah Eye," he heard her mumble.

Sensing no further threat, Dark sheathed his sword. "I'm not a Sheikah," he said.

The Yiga let the clothes drop from her hands and giggled. "Don't be silly, of course you are." For the first time since the fight began the girl straightened to full height, which Dark was irked to discover was a fair bit taller than him. She gave him a polite bow. "Sorry about attacking, I didn't recognize you. It must have been because you're so short!" She laughed again and made a show of pointing out his height by bending at the waist and holding her hand at the level of his forehead.

Dark felt his cheeks heat up and balled his fists. "I am not short!"

"Oh, it's okay." The girl popped out of existence again and reappeared behind him, wrapping her long arms around his shoulders and setting her chin on top of his head. "I won't hold it against you." Dark growled and shook her off.

The girl danced away and then went to stand in front of him, though allowing a respectful distance so that neither of them would fear a sneak attack. "Anyway, my name is Tal," she said with a small wave of her hand. "What's yours?"

"Dark."

"Well Dark, you should probably come with me back to the hideout. It's obvious your skills need work, and I can't in good conscience leave you out here all alone."

"Like hell I'm going anywhere with you." Dark stomped over to where his belongings had been strewn on the ground and started to pack them up. He ignored Tal who was standing there frozen like she couldn't believe he'd said no.

"But-"

"And my skills are fine. You look just as beat up as me, and at least I can use both my arms," said Dark, gesturing to the arm Tal still had held close to her chest.

"But you're Sheikah," she said again, like that was supposed to mean something.

Dark rolled his eyes. "For the last time, I'm not."

Tal huffed and made an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders. "You're ridiculous. How many Hylians do you know with red eyes?" Well, Dark had no acceptable answer for that and Tal knew it. If someone could look smug through a blank mask, she was definitely pulling it off.

"The Yiga Clan takes care of its own," she said.

Dark frowned. "Are the Yiga Clan really Sheikah? I was told they went extinct."

Tal seemed to deflate, her demeanor losing the good humor she had somehow managed to maintain throughout most of their fight. "We survive the only way we can," she said.

"And that involves ambushing defenseless travelers like a bunch of marauders? The Sheikah were the protectors of the royal family, not whatever it is you're pretending to be."

Tal didn't answer. Thoroughly done with the conversation and the night in general, Dark shouldered his belongings and started to march for the treeline.

"Wait!" Tal crossed the distance between them and held out a thin slip of paper that was decorated with a series of red symbols, and once again, the inverted Sheikah Eye. "Take this."

Dark accepted the paper, if only so that Tal would hopefully leave him alone. "What is it?"

"A teleportation spell," she said. "For when you change your mind. It'll call me so I can come get you."

"I'm not going to change my mind," said Dark as he stuffed the paper into his pack.

"Whatever you say, little brother."

"Little bro- hey!" Dark opened his mouth to object further but Tal just laughed and danced away.

"Stay safe out there!" With a last giggle Tal made the gesture with her arms and disappeared in a flash of red, leaving only the inverted Sheikah Eye to hover in her wake for a moment longer before it faded as well.

Dark waited a moment, just to be sure, but when Tal did not appear again, he supposed that she was really gone. "Goddesses dammit," he cursed. How was this his life?


	5. Chapter 5

" _So, what did Zelda want with us anyway?"_ Navi fluttered close to Link's head, hovering just beyond his nose and forcing the knight to go cross-eyed just to focus on her.

Link quirked his lips and raised a single eyebrow, unimpressed. He wasn't about to encourage Navi refusing to pay attention. Instead, he just shook his head and ducked around his well-meaning but absentminded fairy to continue down the hall. He chuckled as Navi wailed after him.

" _Oh, come on."_ The slight weight that settled on his shoulder assured Link that his obstinance was for the most part forgiven as he pushed the doors open to the castle library.

He could spot Zelda's silhouette immediately, stark and serene against the muted browns of the bookshelves, and dropped to a knee, his head bowed. Once kneeling, he waited for Zelda to acknowledge him and give permission to rise. She didn't keep him waiting long.

There was a soft thump of a book being closed and a rustle of fabric as Zelda approached and a hand brushed his shoulder. "You may stand," she said, a lilt of amusement in her voice. "Honestly, how often must I tell you not to stand on ceremony with me?" She waited for Link to get to his feet and meet her eyes and smiled. "We're friends after all."

Link returned the smile and nodded. Having been properly invited into the room, he took a moment to survey the surroundings. The central fireplace had been lit, a healthy pile of ashes betraying just how long Zelda had ordered it kept going. Link frowned. Around them, the different tables set up for any visiting scholars had been covered in books, notes, and loose scrolls of varying ages. The clutter had even spread onto the floor, and by the state of the soot and ink stains along the skirt of Zelda's dress, so had she.

The woman in question tugged at his hand and then dashed off back to one of the tables where she collected an open tome into her arms and rushed back. She tucked one of her braids behind her ear, oblivious to the smear of ink she left on her cheek in the process.

" _Wow, how long has she been in here?"_ Navi whispered into his ear. It couldn't have been that subtle, but by the way Zelda was flipping the pages in an animated flurry, he wasn't surprised that perhaps she hadn't noticed.

Link shrugged. How long, indeed.

"Oh, about a week or so, I think," said Zelda, apparently unaware that she wasn't meant to pick up on their conversation. His eyes must have gotten comically wide because Zelda made a contrite face at him when she looked over. "Don't look at me like that. Impa has been sure to bring me my meals and demand I take breaks." She turned back to her book and continued to flip until she seemed to find what she was looking for.

"Sorry to pull you away from your training and patrol," she said. "But I simply had to share this discovery with someone." She slid beside him shoulder to shoulder and pushed the book in front of him so that they could both see.

Link made a sound of protest, but calmed a bit when he saw that the text and haphazard scrawl of notes Zelda had left on the pages were accompanied by images as well. As embarrassing as it was to admit, despite Zelda's best efforts literacy had never been one of his greatest strengths. He had Navi for anything more complicated than maps and road signs, and the rest he made do with luck and a great deal of intuition.

The pages in question were adorned with a full panel depiction of an outlined warrior standing over a surface, like a body of water or a mirror. And beneath him, an inverted figure in black who was holding a sword. He appeared as though he was about to strike the other warrior who was looking on unaware. The image was unsettling, made doubly so when Link supposed the topmost warrior about to be attacked was meant to be him.

Navi too looked uncomfortable, shivering slightly as she stood over the page and began to read in her normal, quiet mumble.

"Don't you see?" Zelda asked, the excitement in her voice a bit disproportionate in Link's opinion to the scene she was showing them. "This is proof! Evidence that events like what Dark described _have_ happened before." Zelda dropped the book into Link's hands, causing him to fumble a bit as she caught him unawares and Navi to nearly topple to the floor, and ran off to another table.

"It's not often," she said, pointing to something Link couldn't see on a brittle-looking scroll. "But there are mentions of a...a darkness, or sometimes it's described as a shadow. Something with the image of the Hero who appears during times of the Calamity."

Link still didn't understand why she was speaking as if that were good news, and tried to convey as much in his tilted expression as he lifted Navi back to his shoulder and placed the book in his hands back down on a table.

Navi too, looked unimpressed as she flew over to look at the other pages Zelda was pointing out. _"Yeah,"_ the fairy said. _"But I'm pretty sure in all of these, the shadow tried to kill Link."_

"Well, yes. That's a minor setback, of course."

Minor?

" _Minor?"_ Praise Farore for Navi, Link thought.

Zelda waved her hand in dismissal. "If you recall, Dark claimed he comes from a different cycle. One of your past lives where he fought and was defeated by you, Link. That means...oh," the energy seemed to drain from Zelda all at once and she sank into one of the armchairs stationed near the fireplace. "I'm not sure what it means," she admitted. "Only that it's important." The library filled with contemplative silence.

Link let out all the air in his lungs in a quiet sigh and walked over to rest his hand on Zelda's shoulder as she stared into the orange flames of the fire pit. An old pain stirred in his chest. As much as he tried, Link couldn't even begin to try and help her with this mystery. But he could offer support, and remind her that he had faith in her.

One of Zelda's hands reached up to slide over his and Link's eyes lingered on the Triforce he saw etched on the back of her glove. Yes, if anyone could discover how it was there was now another him wandering around, it was Zelda. Holder of the Triforce of Wisdom.

"Thank you, Link." Zelda turned her face up to smile at him.

" _You don't have to try so hard, you know?"_ Navi settled on one of Zelda's knees. _"No one's even heard rumors of Ganondorf yet. And you've got Link and me, we can take anything the stupid pig throws at us!"_ Navi threw a series of punches at nothing and smiled as her antics earned her a giggle from Zelda.

"Yes," she said. "I'm sure wherever he is, Ganondorf trembles at the thought of facing you in combat."

" _Nayru's truth,"_ Navi puffed herself up as much as she could.

"But still." Zelda offered Navi her open palm and brought the fairy up to eye level. "If I could help lessen the burden that will be placed on both of your shoulders, even just a little, I feel I must."

Link retracted his hand from Zelda's shoulder before it could tighten and he felt a muscle in his jaw tick. He could see Navi take notice of his agitation, but thankfully she made no mention of it.

" _But are you sure Dark is the way to do it?"_ Navi asked, her focus flitting to Link for a moment before going back to the princess.

Link had to concur. As grateful as he was for the sentiment, he couldn't shake the instinct that it was a bad idea. It was his duty to protect Zelda and Hyrule, and he was more than willing to do so without the help of someone whose origin and motives were so unknowable.

Zelda leaned back in her chair. "I understand the risks," she said. "But I do believe that with the right prompting he could be a valuable weapon against Ganondorf."

Link crossed his arms, brow furrowed.

When Zelda took notice, she was quick lift her hands in a gesture of placation. "Please, Link. I know you have concerns, but in this I must ask you to trust me." In response she was given a nod and a sigh.

" _This is such a bad idea."_ Navi looked like she was ready to start pulling out her own hair, and Link was quick to cup her gently in his hands to calm her down. _"So, he might be one of the Pig man's creations who's gone on the fritz. What happens when he snaps out of it and decides to kill us!?"_

Zelda took a calming breath and her face smoothed into something that was careful and neutral. "Then we deal with it, the same way we deal with all threats to Hyrule."

Link grunted in the back of his throat, very aware of the master sword tucked against his back. He caught Zelda's eye and exposed the back of his left hand. Zelda looked mildly confused, but Navi was quick to pick up on what he was trying to say.

" _Well duh,"_ she said in response to Zelda's statement. Followed by, _"You don't believe that he was brought here by Farore then?"_

"No."

Huh.

"But I would like very much for him to prove me wrong." Zelda lifted herself to her feet. "As you know, I've sent him on a mission to find evidence of Ganondorf in the Gerudo Desert. His success or failure in this task will serve as a test of his loyalty and abilities."

Into the lynel's maw, as it were. Link hummed in thought. Zelda looked like she wanted to say more, but was interrupted by a soft knocking at the library doors.

"Princess," a familiar voice called. "I have an urgent message from the master-at-arms of the Southern Garrison."

Link squared his shoulders and turned, placing himself in front and just off to the right of Zelda as they were joined by a fourth individual. He could hear Zelda tutting at his strict adherence to knightly protocol, but let it roll off his shoulders with little thought. Zelda might be his princess, but her protection was _his_ responsibility.

"Impa," Zelda greeted the newcomer with a smile and Link nodded as well.

Impa herself bowed to her princess, her short brown hair swaying at the motion. Though her face remained as impassive as always, Link could read the fondness in the attendant's eyes that cooled significantly as they shifted over to him. Link frowned.

"What was the content of the report?" Zelda asked, either unaware or choosing to ignore Impa's discomfort at Link's presence.

"Yiga." The one word served to chill whatever warmth remained in the room. "Another attack near Lake Kolomo. One confirmed casualty, and witnesses of a lone warrior fighting off the Clan member."

Link heard Zelda's breath leave her in a hiss. "Anything else?" she asked, voice clipped.

Much to Link's surprise, Impa hesitated. "It's unconfirmed, but one of the survivors claimed the warrior was carrying the master sword."

Din dammit. Speak ill and it shall appear.

" _Impossible!"_ Navi's indignation was understandable, if a bit pointless, and Link shushed her by urging the fairy to return to her customary spot on his shoulder. True enough what the survivors saw could not have been the master sword, but he and Zelda knew of at least one other person who wielded something close to a replica. Navi huffed. _"Link's the only one who can wield the master sword. And he's here!"_ Two little hands tugged at his ear, causing Link to wince.

"Of course," said Impa. "It was dark, no doubt the man was simply relieved that someone had stepped in to defend him."

"Did the witnesses say how the fight ended?"

Link looked over his shoulder at Zelda. Her hands were balled into fists and no doubt she was weighing what little she knew of Dark's fighting ability with the sheer lethality of the Yiga Clan. He himself had scars from his few encounters with their kind. Zelda's little experiment with his double might well be over before it had even begun.

"No, Princess."

Zelda cleared her throat and forced her hands to relax. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Impa. You may go."

Impa bowed once to Zelda, then again much shallower for Link before excusing herself from the library and leaving them alone. Link waited as the sound of footsteps faded before turning back to face Zelda.

She had her lower lip pinned between her teeth.

" _Do you think he's dead?"_ Navi asked, sounding far more hopeful than she probably meant to. Link rolled his eyes.

"Navi!" Zelda scolded.

The fairy crossed her arms and turned her face away in a pout. _"Just asking."_

And to be fair, thought Link. It was a valid question. But unlike his partner, Link waited in silence for Zelda to order the thoughts that were no doubt swirling in her mind. She might have planned to have Dark face the allies of Ganondorf, but to encounter a Yiga assassin so soon was terrible luck.

Finally, Zelda spoke. "I'm assuming we're in agreement that the warrior Impa reported was Dark?" She was given two simultaneous nods in agreement. "We must learn if he survived."

" _I guess. If we have to."_ It wasn't the decisive 'yes' that Link would have given, but it worked.

Zelda nodded. "Go to Lake Kolomo and find him. Stay out of sight if you can, but make sure he gets to the Gerudo Desert."

" _Of course, Princess."_ Link smiled. That was better, Navi.

Zelda smiled. "Good, and before you go," she trailed off to one of the bookshelves lining the wall and plucked a wooden box from where it sat tucked away. A cloud of dust scattered at the movement and Zelda coughed as she crossed back over to Link and Navi and set it on a nearby table.

"I found this during my research," she said, brushing another layer of dust from the top of the box. Beneath it, Link could see an intricate array of symbols etched into the wood and culminating in a Triforce set in the middle. "I believe it to be a relic of one of your past lives." She stepped aside and gestured for Link to approach. He did, and with careful hands he flipped the corroded iron latch and lifted the lid.

Inside, Link found a strange, rectangular looking weapon set in a bed of velvet. On one end, was a handle with a pull trigger and on the other, a metal head connected to a long chain wrapped around its center. Link took the heavy weapon into his hands and sensed Zelda stepping up behind him.

"The longshot," she read from interior of the lid.

" _Why was it kept in here in a box instead of one of the armories?"_

A good question in Link's opinion, and he turned to Zelda to wait for an answer. However, Zelda just shook her head. "I don't know, but you should take it with you. It did belong to you once, after all." Link nodded and strung the odd weapon into his belt for the time being, intent on making room for it in his pouch at a later date.

With that settled, Link made for the library doors. "May the Goddesses protect you," Zelda called to his back. Link did not turn back, but he did pause for a brief moment before letting the doors swing shut behind him.

And you, Princess.

The library fell away with a thud, and Link felt Navi settle in above his forehead, hands tucked into the roots of his hair for stability as they made their way down the hall, bound for the stables. They passed the looming windows of the castle, the afternoon sun providing columns of light against the otherwise dim corridor. The only thing blocking the sunbeams, their own shadows as they crossed.

"Is that a new weapon?"

Link came up short as Impa's quiet voice broke through the steady thread of his footsteps. His eyes flit down to the longshot at his hip and he nodded.

"How interesting." Impa stepped from the shadow of one of the windows ahead of Link, her brown eyes looking darker than usual in the contrasting lighting. "I suppose she gave it to you for whatever mission she's sent you on."

" _That's right."_ Link frowned at the odd line of questioning but continued to walk forward. That Zelda had sent him on a mission was not uncommon. That Impa, an attendant, would take such an interest, a bit of a stretch. He gave a small shake of his head, warning Navi to say no more.

"The warrior claimed to be wielding the master sword," Impa said as Link crossed her path. "It was the stranger Zelda smuggled away some time ago, wasn't it?"

Link narrowed his eyes.

"You may wear your silence like armor, Link. But you and Zelda are not alone in this castle." A smirk curled on Impa's lips and Link fought the urge to reach for his sword. Impa may be curious, but she was no warrior. Her speculations could not harm himself or Zelda. She continued, "Word gets around when a red-eyed Hylian is seen wandering the castle."

Ah, that's what she was getting at. A sting of something ugly and dark stirred in Link towards the late King Rhoam and he could even feel Navi tense atop his head.

Impa's already brooding eyes darkened further. "The princess is sending you after him. Why?"

Link stopped and turned back to face Impa. His instincts screamed and for some reason, when he looked at the small woman who barely matched _his_ height, she seemed to loom over him, radiating ferocity.

" _Why should we tell you?"_ said Navi, breaking her silence and leaning over Link's brow, wings fluttering for balance. He supposed the fairy didn't appreciate Impa's implication.

At her outburst, the spell seemed to break and Impa came back to herself. The attendant blinked and began to splutter in something like embarrassment and repentance.

"Forgive me," she said, ducking her head. She wasted no more time and rushed past Link, beating him through the hall and disappearing around a corner.

For a beat or two, Link and Navi watched her retreat in silence.

" _She can be really weird sometimes,"_ said Navi.

Link nodded his head. Really weird. He hurried his steps after that, not allowing himself to be distracted by anyone else he passed as he made his way out of the castle. He barely stopped to pack food and supplies before saddling Epona and galloping for the castle gates.

Barely a week out and Dark had already begun to make waves against forces better laid to rest. And he could only imagine what an encounter between him and the Yiga Clan might have ended with. Belatedly, he wondered if he should have alerted Zelda to Impa's interrogation before he left. He doubted the princess had taken Sheikah into account when she had been considering Dark's role in the coming conflict.

" _Do...do you think Dark might have known Sheikah? From where he's from?"_

In his mind's eye, Link imagined red eyes staring into equally crimson ones and finding common ground. Navi might have gotten no answer from him, but to himself Link dearly hoped not. Pledging his loyalty to Zelda or not, Hyrule had enough enemies hidden in the shadows as it was without Dark adding himself to their number.

Perhaps it would have been better, Link thought, if Zelda had let him face his shadow the night he'd first appeared. With a grunt he spurred Epona on.


	6. Chapter 6

The stupid piece of paper was burning a hole in his pack. He knew it, he just knew it. Really, Dark was aware that he should just throw the ridiculous thing in the river and be done with it. That would be the smartest thing to do. He was smart wasn't he?

Dammit.

Dark took a handful of softly flowing water and splashed his face. Through the dripping bangs hanging down his forehead, he spied the pack in question, being held in place at the moment by the black sword he'd struck through the ground. He couldn't stop thinking about it.

Groaning and irritated, Dark swept the last of the water from his eyes and hands and swung his sword and shield onto his back. From the pack he retrieved Zelda's map and studied the spot that had been haunting him since he'd faced Tal. Kakariko Village.

He shook his head and stuffed the map back in his bag. In the distance, he heard the sound of hoofbeats. The sword was in his hand and shield primed in a moment and he was ready for battle by the time a brown mare came barreling through the treeline.

"Link?"

The green rider pulled back on Epona's reins, slowing to a trot that circled Dark once before coming to a halt. _"Dark!"_ Navi called from where she was fluttering above her partner's head. _"We found you!"_

"Um, yeah?" Dark stood frozen. Then, as he saw Link arch a brow in confusion, realized that he was still holding his weapons and straightened up to put them away. "Is there a reason you two came rushing at me like a crazy horse-riding bokoblin?"

Link didn't answer right away, and Dark stepped back to give his double space as the other Hylian dismounted from Epona. Dark had to actively resist the urge to step forward and stroke the mare's forehead and cheek as Link rifled through one of the packs tied to the saddle and pulled from it a roll of bandages and what looked like medicinal plants. Dark frowned.

"What are those for?"

" _We heard about you getting into a fight with the Yiga Clan and figured you'd need it,"_ said Navi with a shrug.

"Well thank you, but as you can see I'm fine." Dark held out his arms and made a sweeping motion as if to demonstrate he had no visible wounds. He wasn't about to admit that for the past day or so he'd barely moved from his spot at the lake because of how sore and in pain he'd been. The important thing was that he'd taken the day to heal, and found the right components to cobble together a half-decent healing potion.

Link shrugged and tossed the first aid supplies back into his saddlebag. The look he tossed over his shoulder at Dark while he did it though was curious.

"You want to know how the fight went," he said, crossing his arms. "Why? Because the Yiga Clan are Sheikah?"

Link nodded and pointed up at his own eyes, to which Dark rolled his.

"There's a difference between looking Sheikah and being one, Link. Yeah she noticed, but I wasn't about to run off and join them."

That at least seemed to be enough for Link, and he dropped the subject in favor of unpacking his belongings from Epona and removing her saddle and bridle. He then urged the road-weary mare to the edge of the Lake and stroked her flank as she began to drink.

" _You know, it's good you didn't try and join them or anything,"_ Navi settled herself just beyond Dark's nose. _"Otherwise Link would have had to kill you."_ Honestly, the little bouncing ball of light had no right looking so smug. Dark waved his hand and shooed her away.

"Don't sound too disappointed," he said. "Who knows, maybe I'd win that fight. Then what would you do?" Dark snorted and made eye contact with Link who shared a conspiratorial smile and shook his head at his partner's antics.

Link left Epona to her own devices and came over to stand beside Dark. He got the feeling that there was more that Link wanted answers to, but Dark couldn't begin to guess what questions were brewing under that green hat of his. "You know you can talk to me, right?" he said. If you couldn't talk to your own shadow, then who could you talk to? "It's kind of hard to tell why else you're here or what you want when you don't speak."

He waited, but when Link still remained impassive, he just sighed. "Fine, whatever."

Link did duck his head then, and rubbed the back of his neck. Dark patted his hand against the other man's back. "Don't feel too bad. I get it." Something like laughter snuck past Link's lips and Dark and Navi were equally surprised that he'd made any sound at all. "You're vocalizing and this isn't even a fight, I should feel proud."

" _Oh shut up."_ Navi settled on Link's shoulder. _"We're here because Zelda was worried you might have attracted some unwanted attention. She wants us to protect you on your way to the Gerudo Desert."_

Dark snorted. "Right. Look, I appreciate it but, I don't need an escort." He slung his pack over his shoulder and made for the trees that separated the lake from the road. "Besides!" he called back. "It's kinda hard to stay together when only one of us has a horse!"

For about a minute after that Dark heard nothing, and a small part of him was surprised that Link had let him leave so easily. The majority of him that remained however, was not so shocked when he heard the knight traipsing through the woods behind him just after the ninety second mark along with Navi.

" _And why don't you have a horse?"_ she asked. _"Seems like an easy way to avoid trouble. Not to mention travel faster."_

The fairy kept fluttering in front of his face, stubbornly refusing to stay out of his way as Dark continued down the road. "I'd love to make the trip on horseback. Unfortunately, your buddy nipping at my heels kinda had dibs." Link's footsteps faltered for a moment behind him and then suddenly they were walking two abreast, with Link giving him a look that was a bit too close to pity for Dark's comfort.

"Don't look at me like that. You get to keep Epona, I don't have to go on living my life as a selective mute, let's call it a draw."

" _Hey, leave Link alone!"_ Navi spluttered in defense of her partner, but Dark could see a glimmer of understanding in the knight's eyes. He wondered if this version of Navi had ever even heard Link speak.

Either way, to keep the peace Dark held up his hands. "My apologies, I didn't mean to offend." His tone might not have been the most sincere, but Navi must have realized it was the best she was going to get and let the matter drop. After all, there was little more she could do but go on making noise when Link himself didn't seem to care.

They continued down the road in silence, Link seeming content to follow despite the sun having past its zenith and begun its descent all in the time since he'd left Epona at Lake Kolomo. "Look, are you two seriously going to follow me all the way to the desert? I thought the point of me making this trip was because you were busy with 'knightly duties'." Dark wriggled his fingers at the mention of Link's title and was satisfied to earn yet another chuckle from Link who in return only shrugged for a response.

" _Well, we were supposed to just follow you without being noticed,"_ said Navi. _"But then we saw a lot of old blood and got worried."_

Dark brought a hand to his chest and gave his best impression of a scandalized gasp. "Why Navi, were you concerned for my welfare?"

The blue fairy went cherry-red. _"No!"_ Dark laughed.

"Too late, you said worried!"

" _Gah! You're so annoying!"_ Navi wrung her tiny hands in her hair and dive-bombed under Link's hat in a fit of embarrassed fury.

Dark considered what else he could say to galvanize the fairy into coming back out so he could needle her some more and opened his mouth to try when Link stopped in his tracks and held his arm out to stop him. "What?" His mood turned serious, more so when Link held a finger to his lips and drew the master sword with only the quietest ring of steel against steel. They were now nearing the border of what the map of Hyrule called the Forest of Spirits, and the dense tree-line made it difficult to see anything that lay too far ahead.

Unsure what had triggered Link to react, Dark dropped his pack and retrieved his sword as well, and slung his shield on for good measure too. He watched as Link rotated his head, turning in a small circle and ears twitching with the sounds of the forest. Then, with a soft gasp Link pointed up somewhere above the trees where a thin trickle of smoke was winding its way into the grey sky.

"It's too small to be a forest fire," said Dark with a frown. "Probably just someone making camp, relax." He was mostly speaking to the knight's back, but Link shook his head and when he turned to look over his shoulder, tapped the side of his nose.

"The smell?" Dark sniffed the air for something strange. Anything that would have tipped Link off, but all he found was a vague waft of cooking meat. "Someone's roasting steak?" Oh, but wait. There, just under the scent of cooking foods, Dark caught what Link was trying to signal for him. The subtle touch of decay.

Rotting flesh.

Dark lifted his shield and gave Link a singular nod to lead the way. The knight obliged, with one hand gripping his sword and the other gently pushing aside stray twigs and bushes as they tried to follow the trail of smoke and scent to its source. Dark followed suit close behind, finding that his shield worked as a much better barrier against the elements than Link's hand.

They passed the dense copse of trees until it opened to a clearing. In its center was exactly what Dark might have expected, a haphazard camp. But instead of merchants or the random traveler, Dark wrinkled his nose at the sight of well over to a dozen stalkoblins, skeletal and blundering, and at their feet, the bodies of three horses and what were once probably their riders.

"You know," said Dark in a bitter half-whisper. "I don't know why I imagined I could go any significant length of time without wandering into a fight. It never happened when I was you, why would that change now." He sidled up beside Link and caught the knight's eye. "I'll circle around and come at them from the south, you put that bow I know you're carrying to good use and try to knock a few of their heads off while I get in position."

Another nod from Link, and he sheathed his sword in favor of the knight's bow slung low across his back and tucked under his shield. Dark smirked and snuck off, keeping to the growing shadows of the trees as he circled around to the back of the camp. He made it about a third of the way before he heard the first twang of a bowstring, and the stalkoblin dancing beside the stuttering campfire lost its head, to the complete bewilderment of the rest of the body. Of course, the head immediately bounced on the ground and began to roll back to the rest of its collapsed bones, but for the moment it was neutralized.

It happened again and again as Dark neared his position, skeleton after skeleton at the outskirts of the camp kept jerking as the skulls were knocked away until Link apparently had no choice but to target one of the larger group. The surroundings monsters jumped as they witnessed their companion collapse to the ground and about half of them turned and wailed their hollow battlecries in Link's direction, while the other half looked about in confusion.

The stray head rolled a good distance, its burning red eyes aglow as it started to wriggle and jump back in the direction of its body, only to come apart under a booted heel. Dark grinned as five stalkoblins almost lost their jaws at the sight of him. "So," he said, sword and shield lifted. "Who's first?"

The closest monster screeched and charged, loose bones jangling as it lifted the arm carrying a rusted iron sword. Dark scoffed, catching the swing with his shield and cleaving the bloated bokoblin skull from the rest of the body with a well-placed swing. He ignored the wriggling head for the moment as the next creature came down on him. Repeating the same strategy he used on the first, Dark took turns blocking and hacking at loose limbs and heads of the skeletal bodies until he was surrounding by a collection of animated bones.

As he put down the last, the first of the stalkoblins he'd ignored had reassembled itself. Dark dove to the side to avoid the downward swing of the creature's cleaver, crushing a loose skull as he rolled aside and retaking the other's head once more, quickly shattering it with the blade of his sword and dashing to the next before another stalkoblin could reform. He destroyed another two before the next was able to pull itself together and attack him, and Dark met the charge with his own, jumping forward and kicking down the head of the monster's spear into the ground in a vault that sent him clear over the stalkoblin.

He landed on one knee behind the creature and spun, swinging his black master sword with an adrenaline-fueled cry in a wide arc that cut clear through the stalkoblin's spine and sliced through the arm of another that stood beside it. Dark laughed as he crushed both their heads.

 _This,_ he thought watching the cursed smoke dissipate over the exorcised bones. This was what he was good at. The heat of battle pushed aside any lingering thoughts of his defeat to the Yiga girl aside, and he beckoned the next stalkoblin to him with anticipation. Beyond him, he watched a few more arrows strike down another group of the monsters before Link must have had his fill of ranged attack and a flash of green raced from the treeline.

The master sword's blue steel almost glowed in the fading twilight, and through his haze Dark watched as his reincarnation fell two more stalkoblins with hardly any effort. Already, with the those he'd put down himself, the two of them had nearly destroyed the camp. Dark couldn't help but laugh again, and rushed to Link's side as the last four stalkoblins seemed to rally for a final attack. Link held his master sword at the ready, both hands gripped around its hilt as his eyes flit between the remaining enemies. Dark stood to his right, and after a moment, held his shield arm out to block Link from charging.

"Wait," he said, and glanced over to Link who sent him a look of narrow-eyed confusion. Dark returned it with an open-mouthed grin as their shoulders both heaved from exertion. "I've got this." Link frowned, looking displeased by the idea, but Dark ignored him.

Let the Hero of Courage think whatever he wanted, Dark was enjoying feeling the proper heat of battle for the first time in a long while. Link might never admit it to himself, but as Dark felt the shock of each blow to his shield travel down his arm, heard the pumping of his blood in his ears, and tasted the sweet tang of sweat on his tongue, he remembered why he'd taken up the sword so easily even as a child.

Dark _loved_ killing monsters.

Night had finally fallen on Hyrule, but Dark had no trouble seeing as he drove his black sword into the final stalkoblin skull. And with a self-satisfied grin he pulled the sword free, eyeing its gleam in the half-moon sky. He couldn't help thinking that all that was missing with the hot spray of blood to clean from its blade.

" _Dark."_

He'd been overconfident with Tal, he would admit. Thinking the Yiga no better than another mindless monster.

" _Hello~, Dark."_

But maybe he could start to understand just a little of why the Yiga sought battle as readily as they did. Without the weight of duty to give purpose to each battle, the high of victory belonged to Dark and Dark alone.

" _Is he even listening to me?"_

He didn't think he ever wanted it to stop. He could just go place to place, finding stray monsters and killing them for no other reason than to satiate this newfound need for battle.

" _Dark!"_

Navi's voice broke through hypnotic pounding of Dark's heart in his ears, and the black-clothed warrior jerked as he was reminded of who was standing with him. He turned back to Link, who was watching him stare over the battlefield with a look of concern that was edging on ill. The master sword shimmered with the soft light of holy steel and Dark edged away from it on instinct. For a moment red eyes met blue and both Dark and Link stared, waiting for one or the other to make the inevitable first move to attack. The winds shifted, and the smoke of the forgotten campfire blew between them.

" _Guys, the monsters are dead, we should take care of the other bodies. We can't just leave them here."_

Dark scoffed without breaking eye contact. Leave it to Navi to have remained ignorant of what had almost happened. "On it." Taking the out, Dark loosened the grip he had on his sword and slid both it and his shield onto his back. He turned from Link, still very aware of the wary eyes that traced his back as he gripped the ankles of the nearest dead Hylian and began to drag the body towards the flames that would soon become a pyre. "Going to help or not?" he called out, and a moment later he heard the familiar scraping of the master sword being sheathed. Footsteps drew close and then Link was gripping the arms of the body so they could lift it together. Their eyes met again, and it was clear from what Dark saw across from him that what Link had just witnessed would not be forgotten.

Once the bodies were cleared, Dark backtracked to where he'd left his supplies and retrieved two of his water packs. "Here," he tossed one to Link and tipped the other over his palm to begin washing the soot and bone dust from his hands.

Link accepted the water with a grunt and scrubbed at the smears of soot that covered his fingers and cheeks, face screwed up in concentration and Navi directing his movements. _"A little to the left, no here,"_ she fluttered up and pushed his hand up higher to catch the black spot that clung to his forehead.

When both of them had cleaned themselves and drunk what remained in their packs, Dark wandered over to where a wooden chest sat unprotected a few meters off from the now blazing pyre.

" _It must have belonged to those people who were attacked,"_ said Navi.

Link shrugged and with little hesitation brought the edge of his foot down on the padlock keeping the chest closed, snapping it clean off. He threw open the lid to reveal two bags, each with a modest collection of rupees. Link pocketed one, but handed the other over to Dark.

Dark accepted the bag with a grin. "And here I figured kleptomania might have just been my thing." Link canted his head but Dark just waved the confusion away. "Don't worry about it, waste not want not, right?"

Link nodded sagely and jerked a thumb over his shoulder. _"It's getting late,"_ said Navi. _"We should go get Epona. You set up camp here and we'll be back in a a few hours."_

"Don't worry about it," Dark brushed the last of the dirt and leaf litter from his reclaimed pack and shouldered it again. "I can keep going, you two should just head back to the castle. Like I said before, I don't need a chaperon."

He made to leave, but a firm grip on his upper arm forced him to stop. Dark grit his teeth and turned to see Link staring at him with grim eyes and give him a single, firm shake of his head. The two Hylians shared each others' stare for a moment or two longer before Dark shook the knight's hand away. "Fine," he said. "I'll break camp about a hundred paces south of here. Wouldn't want to encourage anymore visits from the dead with all the bodies here."

Link seemed to concur and, with Navi perched on his shoulder, disappeared into the trees, presumably to backtrack to Lake Kolomo and collect his wayward steed.

Dark made his way deeper into the forest, marking a tree every few paces or so for Link to follow when he returned until he found a place on the upper crest of a hill that he felt suitable for a camp. There he laid out his cloak again and collected a handful of branches from the surrounding trees to serve as fuel for a fire. A quick strike of flint and a handful of dry leaves later, and Dark had a small but steady fire going that he was sure Link would appreciate. He then dug through his pack and set a few of his apples up to bake over the heat. Though he didn't feel hungry, Dark figured it would be wise to eat something to replenish the energy he'd expended during the fight and maybe offer a peace offering to Link for the display he'd made there at the end.

What exactly had come over him anyway? Dark thought the question over as the smell of baking fruit, the crackling firewood and soft breeze of the wind worked to settle his nerves. He took a deep breath. It felt good to just sit and let things settle, something he hadn't done since he'd realized he had little need to sleep. But now, waiting for Link, it helped him settle his thoughts and cast aside the lingering euphoria of the frenzy.

A thought occurred, and Dark snatched his pack up and dug through it until his hand wrapped around the object he hadn't even thought about since before the Water Temple. A wash of relief and a deep sigh went through him as he pulled out his ocarina.

It was black now instead of blue, because of course it was. Black and sleek just like his sword and shield, but a puff of air through the mouthpiece proved that it still functioned. The clear note of music cut through the quiet of the night and Dark felt the curl of a smile on his lips as he let his fingers move. As if on instinct, the three-toned melody of Epona's Song began to echo through the sky.

It was a simple piece. It had to be, being one of the first songs Dark had ever learned to play on the instrument, but it's spirit was light-hearted and uplifting and seemed to pass the time away. And it felt like not long after he'd gotten into a rhythm that Link appeared through the trees, with Navi and Epona trailing after him. Dark peeked his eyes open, not having even realized he'd shut them in the first place and watched as the mare seemed intrigued by his song.

Dark let his eyes slide shut again and began the song anew, letting the notes roll from his fingers again and again until he felt Epona settle onto the ground behind him and curl against his back like a mother around her foal. Only when he heard her snuffle in the comfortable rumble of sleep did he let the song conclude and lower the ocarina from his lips.

When he opened his eyes, Link was sitting across the fire from him, eyes wide with something like awe. Navi too was swinging her legs from where she sat on Link's shoulder and probably didn't even realize she was grinning ear to ear. _"I didn't know you could play,"_ she said, and Link nodded beside her.

Dark shrugged. "Of course I can. You can too, can't you?"

A small frown appeared on Link's face and he shook his head. The knight shuffled a bit closer and leaned over to stare at the instrument like it was some new kind of weapon he'd never seen before and didn't want to activate on accident. Dark laughed and tossed it to him.

"It won't bite you, try it."

Link took the ocarina, though he held it like a deku nut about to explode, and with great hesitation brought it up to his lips and blew. A sour tone ripped through the air, and all present flinched. Even Epona woke from her nap and made an unhappy snort in her rider's direction before tossing her head and settling back down again. Link's lips turned down in a childish pout and he handed the ocarina back to Dark who couldn't help but laugh again. "I guess you really don't know how to play it," he said with a small amount of wonder. He took the ocarina back and traded it for one of his baked apples which Link accepted with an appreciative hum.

" _Zelda tried to teach him the harp once, but he wasn't very good."_ Navi cocked her head. _"Why do you have it anyway?"_

Dark twisted the instrument in his hands, marveling at the way the orange light of the fire reflected off its onyx surface. "I learned to play as a child," he said. "My friend Saria, she taught me and gave me my first ocarina." A smile played on Dark's lips as he remembered his dear friend. She'd been so kind and welcoming to him when he'd lived with the Kokiri, and it had both warmed and broken his heart when he'd been able to help her become the Forest Sage.

He looked up to see Navi and Link watching him patiently and realized he hadn't actually answered her question. Dark shook his head, letting thoughts of Saria go for the moment and cleared his throat. "Anyway, later Zelda -my Zelda- entrusted me with what was called the Ocarina of Time, an instrument that had power over space and time. This," he held up the black ocarina, "is a replica that I'm guessing was made when I was created."

Brief story finished, Dark looked up and couldn't help the snort of amusement he made when he noticed the confused furrow between Link's brows. And Navi, for that matter, looked little better. _"Wait,"_ the fairy said. _"What do you mean space and time?"_

Dark smirked. "I could play certain songs and it would transport me places like this," he snapped his fingers. "And it's what I used to enter the Temple of Time so I'd be old enough to fight Ganondorf."

" _Old enough? Wait...how old are you then?"_

Huh, Dark wasn't sure he knew himself anymore. He cocked his head and thought for a moment. "Physically," he said. "Seventeen, maybe eighteen now. But originally I was about ten when I got sealed in the temple for seven years."

" _WHAT!"_ Navi screeched and both Dark and Link flinched at the sudden, high-pitched noise. _"So we've been following around an eleven-year-old!"_

Dark rolled his eyes. "I told you, my body is eighteen."

" _Is that even how that works? And anyway, that's still really young!"_ The fairy was fluttering about, looking increasingly distressed, and Dark was somewhat shocked to see Link looking quite disturbed himself.

For the first time Dark took a closer look at the blond and examined the differences he could see between them. "How old are you?" he asked, suddenly wary of the answer.

Link exhaled through his nose and with what looked like great reluctance held up both his hands, indicated all of his fingers twice, then dropped his right hand, leaving only three fingers extended on his left.

"Twenty-three," he said, more for confirmation than clarification. Link nodded.

Din dammit.

And Dark could see it too, in the way Link's shoulders were a bit broader than his, the sharpness in the features of his face and distinct lack of baby fat that Dark hadn't managed to completely lose even in his adult body. He could see it in the tired caution reflected in Link's eyes. In the way Link's refusal to speak presented itself more as stubbornness and resignation than simple timidity. The differences were slight, but the effect significant.

Dark hunched his shoulders. It had been some time since he'd felt as young as he did then, avoiding the eyes of a version of himself he knew had seen and done far more than he had. It was good, he decided, that Zelda had kept them from fighting in the castle that first night.

A few more seconds of quiet discomfort passed between the three of them before Dark managed to scrape up enough courage to meet Link's eyes again. The -older- knight was watching him with an expression that looked caught between disapproval and admiration.

"Well," Dark finally said to break the silence. "I guess it doesn't matter. I can hardly be expected to act my age at this point." The amused grunt from Link was enough for Dark to know that he would let the matter drop. Who knew with Navi, but it wasn't like Dark cared what the fairy thought. Dark set his ocarina in his lap and reclined against Epona's soft flank.

The ambient warmth from the mare was soothing, and Dark's eyes slid shut as he let himself bask in the familiar comfort. After a moment, he heard a muffle as Navi must have whispered something to Link, but it ended quickly enough. There were more noises as Link dressed down for the night.

"I'll keep watch for the night," he said without opening his eyes. "I don't sleep much anyway so don't worry about it." If Link had any thoughts on the matter, Dark didn't see, but from the sounds of the knight making himself comfortable in his bedroll, he probably agreed. Dark opened his eyes and tipped his head back against Epona's spine. He stared up at the night sky and brought the ocarina back up to his lips. The notes of Zelda's Lullaby streamed from the instrument, and together with the feel of Epona behind him and Link and Navi before, it felt deceptively like peace.


	7. Chapter 7

Something in Link's attitude towards Dark changed after that first night. He'd fallen asleep listening to the melancholy melody of Dark's song, and when he woke it was as though a weight had shifted in his mind. There was still suspicion, he doubted he could possibly forget the rabid display Dark had made of himself the day before, but there was something else too.

He woke to soft pants and a whistling through the air and turned over in his bedroll to find Dark running through what looked like rudimentary forms with his black master sword. Link sat up, careful of Navi who was still resting snug in his discarded hat, and observed. Dark had talent, Link had seen that when they'd fought the stalkoblins. But upon close inspection, he began to see that the shadow's technique left much to be desired.

In a word, it was unrefined. When it came to footwork Dark seemed to have an instinct towards balance that Link couldn't find fault with, but he swung his sword wildly with no thought to how easily someone with experience could disarm him. Dark looked to favor using his shield, but periodically went through bouts of almost forgetting the shield was there to focus solely on striking with his sword.

All in all, Dark fought like someone familiar with facing monsters, not people. Someone who had developed their skills by trial and error, taking the best of whatever had worked in the past and pasting it together to create something that was certainly unpredictable, but fraught with imperfections and vulnerabilities. There was no doubt in Link's mind that he could defeat Dark with minimal effort.

Link got to his feet and with quiet movements collected the master sword from where it rested near him. Dark's back was turned, so he didn't notice as Link approached with weapon drawn. Dark's feet shifted, telegraphing the spin attack far enough in advance for Link to lift the master sword and block the swing before it had a chance of connecting.

"Sweet Goddesses, Link!" Dark reeled back from the shock of ringing steel and his face twisted in a scowl. "I could have taken your head off." Link huffed a laugh into his open palm and shrugged, which had Dark scoffing in offense. It was somewhat amusing, he thought, to watch this younger version of himself stomp and scowl like a proper teenager.

But that wasn't what Link had in mind by approaching, so he pushed his wandering thoughts aside and took up position parallel to Dark. When he was sure his shadow's attention was on him, Link settled into a ready stance and performed the first movement in a basic training sequence. Then he stood back up straight and looked to Dark.

"You...want to train with me?" Well, more like train _him,_ but Dark could think whatever he wanted.

Link shrugged again and motioned for Dark to take up his ready stance. Dark looked suspicious, but did as Link asked and waited for instruction. Nodding his approval, Link wandered over to Dark's side and poked and nudged his hand positioning until he was satisfied that Dark had a proper one-handed grip of his sword. He then wrapped a hand around the lip of Dark's shield and tugged it aside until Dark allowed him to set it on the ground. For the purposes of what Link wanted to accomplish, they would focus on swordsmanship.

Satisfied, Link mirrored Dark's stance again and performed the full training sequence. When he finished, he straightened and and sheathed the master sword and turned to Dark who was looking somewhat daunted. Link didn't blame him. What Dark was used to was broad strokes and wild lunges, not the swift, efficient feints and cuts that were a staple of Hyrulian knightly combat. But still, Link gave Dark an encouraging nod, it was something he could learn.

For the next hour or so as morning fully came into fruition Link helped Dark train, demonstrating and correcting his form and technique whenever and wherever he found fault. It was tiring and sometimes frustrating work, but by the time Navi had found her way to wakefulness Dark had improved. He had the beginnings of better awareness and became more sparing with his movements. And Link couldn't help feeling impressed.

" _What are you two doing?"_ the fairy asked as she took in the pair of flush-cheeked, sweating Hylians.

Dark flourished his black blade and sheathed it. "What's it look like? We were training." Dark turned and gave Link a grateful nod which he returned. They spent the last of the early morning collecting their belongings and saddling Epona, Link working mostly in silence as Dark made idle chatter with Navi. Dark had far fewer belongings than Link, but with him occupying his well-meaning but distracting partner, Link was packed and ready much quicker than normal.

So began what would become habit as they started the long trek through the Forest of Spirits. They traveled during the day, and those who needed it slept at night. And every morning before Navi woke, Link practiced with Dark, tempering the younger Hylian's technique and slowly progressing to adding back Dark's shield in conjunction with his sword.

In this area, Link had to admit to himself that Dark had the far better skill. Despite carrying the Hylian Shield with him, Link had never taken to using it much. He preferred the freedom of switching between one and two-handed sword techniques and dodging any oncoming attacks rather than using the shield to block. But in Dark's hands it was when the shadow became the most lethal. Once Link had taught him the best ways to incorporate the two weapons together, Dark became near untouchable. It was a rate of progress both admirable and terrifying.

Despite that growth however, there was one unspoken rule that neither of them ever dared to break. Link and Dark never sparred. Sure they crossed blades, Link tested Dark's defenses and the strength of his attacks, but only ever in structured, practiced exchanges, never with the intent to disarm or subdue. Navi had brought it up once, but neither of them could give her a proper reason as to why. It just was.

And honestly, Link could let that apprehension go. It was surprisingly nice to travel with another warrior. Dark was undaunted by Link's silence and had energy enough to keep up with Navi's never endless chatter. Unlike the knights of Hyrule who he occasionally accompanied on patrol, Dark didn't look at him expectant of a legend. For what seemed like the first time since the master sword had been placed in Link's hands he didn't feel like the eyes of the world were trained on his back. He was just Link.

" _So, there are a lot of fairies where you came from?"_ Navi stood perched on the furthest edge of Dark's shoulder, wings fluttering as she spun in place.

Link glanced up from brushing Epona's coat to see Dark nod, hands continuing to work through the knots in the mare's pale hair. "Yeah," he said. "Everyone in the Kokiri Forest was partnered with a fairy by the Great Deku Tree. Is that not how you met Link?" Dark's red eyes shifted over to meet Link's.

" _No,"_ said Navi, and Link shook his head in conjunction. _"I met Link when he awakened the Triforce of Courage. It must have been nice though, to have a partner all your life."_ Navi sighed, and Link was unsurprised when she flew over to settle in his hair. He began to hum, smiling when he heard Navi sigh at the soft rumble he knew would be traveling up to her from his chest.

"It's called Epona's Song," Dark said. Link didn't stop humming, but did see that Dark had finished with Epona's mane and had shifted to stroking her nose with calm affection. He hadn't realized he was humming the same tune he had heard Dark play on his ocarina that first night. There was something unbelievably sad in Dark's eyes though and Link frowned. Was something wrong? Maybe Dark was missing his Navi and Epona?

Link wished he could ask, or at least that Navi would be observant enough to notice their companion's distress and address it. He contemplated bringing it to her attention, but was stopped when something in the distant foliage caught his attention. Link's hands stilled and Epona tossed her head in irritation.

"Woah, easy girl." Dark caught Epona's snout and soothed her before she could start to kick and rear up. "What is it?" Link ignored him for the moment and dropped his brush in favor of dashing for the bundle of riding gear and tossing it in Dark's direction. Then he pulled the master sword from his back and stalked forward.

He'd thought maybe he'd been mistaken at first, but Epona's reaction had confirmed what he was seeing. Creeping from a collection of ferns was a thick fog, one that was beginning to grow and obscure the forest from Link's field of vision.

Navi sat up straight from her position on his head. _"What is that?"_ Link shrugged, unsure and Navi took that as her cue to fly off, hovering just beyond where the coils of smog were beginning to reach. _"It feels… weird,"_ she said, sticking a hand and waving it in the smoke. _"Almost like…"_ Her wingbeats slowed, and Link gasped as his partner rubbed at her eyes once and stopped flying altogether. She tumbled to the ground, a lucky fern leaf cushioning her fall just before she struck the dirt. Her light flickered and dimmed.

"Navi! Goddesses damn- wait, Link!"

Link ignored Dark and dashed off in the direction of the fog. Sword re-sheathed, he slid the last few feet to snatch Navi away before the murky haze could swallow her completely. He heard Dark continue to curse and move about behind him, but couldn't bother to see what he was doing. The smoke was moving faster now, and he had to sprint to get out of its path before it could reach his face. Link grit his teeth and cupped Navi close to his chest. He could feel the fairy breathing, but couldn't shake the terror of seeing her light begin to go out.

The sound of hoofbeats broke through his thoughts and he looked up in time to see Dark galloping a fully saddled Epona in his direction. Dark pulled Epona into a sharp turn behind him, just cresting the smoke and dropped his hand down to Link as he came up beside him. "Come on!" he shouted to be heard over Epona's distressed whinnies.

Link grunted and locked arms with Dark, keeping his other hand pressed tight over Navi and against his chest. Dark tugged and Link was pulled up and behind him. Link shifted his grip to circle Dark's waist and looked back just as Dark snapped the reins and pushed Epona faster. Behind them, the smoke had engulfed all of what had been their camp and was spreading high and wide like a giant mouth coming down on them.

"What in Farore's name is this!" Dark spared little time glancing from side to side for the fog, too focused on trying to maneuver Epona through the maze of trees and rocks that littered the forest. But even with his best efforts he and Link were still buffeted by the occasional low-hanging branch or clipped by a sharp boulder they'd rounded too close.

Link huffed and ducked his head to dodge another tree limb. If Navi were awake she might have been able to give them advice or at least warn Dark about the direction they were heading, but as it stood they had no choice but straight retreat. The ground had been sloping upward for the last day or so, and by the slight chill in the air that was getting stronger as they went it was becoming clear where the smoke was corralling them.

Dark urged Epona into a jump that cleared over the trunk of a downed tree and the three of them jerked in surprise as the ground shifted into a sharp decline upon their descent. Link's breath left him in a cloud and he silently cursed. Either by design or horrible luck, instead of bearing east across the Great Plateau the smoke was urging them directly south and into the frozen arms of the River of the Dead.

They needed to get out of the smoke's path and find another way around. Link pushed at Dark's shoulder and when the shadow turned to look at him, pointed his arm east. Dark tsked. "I really don't think that's an option right now." That being said, he did try. Dark turned Epona at an angle to try and beat the eastern edge of the fog and get beyond it, but had to cut back when a curl of smog caught the mare in the nose.

Epona whinnied and bucked. Dark tried to get them back on track and running, but it was too late, Epona's pace was slowing and she couldn't keep a straight line. Soon enough though it didn't matter as they broke the treeline and came to the shore of a frost-covered river. Epona stuttered to a halt and Dark and Link both vaulted off her back, Dark grabbing the reins to pull Epona away from the encroaching smoke and Link coughing and pulling the hat from his head to hold against his nose.

"What _is_ this stuff? Is it from a monster?" Dark had his sword in one hand and held the other over his mouth. Link shook his head and made an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders. He had about as good an idea of what was going on as Dark did.

The fog had them nearly encircled, and Dark let out a cry of frustration as Epona went down completely, put under by the effects of the smoke she'd inhaled. Link shifted closer to Dark, trepidation churning in his gut. Dark's shoulders were heaving in anger and his eyes were nearly burning red against the milky film of the approaching smog. If he wasn't careful and controlled his breathing Dark would take in too much smoke before they found a way out of the mess they were in.

Link grit his teeth and shivered as he took another step back and the heel of his boot met icy water. He turned and saw that the two of them had been pushed to the very edge of the riverbank. A quick glance to either side revealed that the fog came to a complete halt the moment it reached the frozen waters. Link let himself smile, that was their way out.

He surveyed the riverbed, searching for anything to help them across. Unfortunately, besides the odd glacier of ice being pulled along and a few broken pillars that marked where a bridge once stood, there was little to work with. Still, he unhooked the longshot from his belt, he could do it. Link turned to find Dark and get his attention, but froze when he saw that for some reason the shadow had wandered away. Now Dark was standing still, clear out of Link's reach and almost completely obscured from view by the fog.

Dark's sword had fallen from his hand and stuck up from where it hand sunk its point into the ground. And Dark himself was standing with his hands open, staring blankly at the fog that curled around his fingers. His eyes were wide and clouded over with fear.

Link bit his lip. He could call out, but there was no point. It was too late. So, instead he turned and primed the longshot to fire, picking out one of the sturdier looking columns along the river and pulling the trigger. A shudder ran down Link's arm as the steel claw head struck the stone and as he pulled the trigger again he found himself being tugged away, flying through the air and onto the stone column. Once steady and safe, Link freed the longshot head and holstered the weapon back on his hip.

The River of the Dead flowed swift and cold around him, and Link surveyed the approach of the fog until it came to a stop all along the river's edge. He couldn't see Epona or Dark anymore. The other side of the river closer to Mount Hylia he was distressed to find, was much the same. Had the fog jumped the river somehow?

No, a trickle of warmth bled up Link's arm from where the mark of the Triforce sat on his hand. He glanced down to see the lower right triangle aglow in a soft, yellow light. Dark was right, if the Triforce was reacting, something malicious was creating the fog. Link drew the master sword and tucked Navi away in his hat which he tied to his belt. If someone or something had done this then they would come out of hiding eventually when they discovered Link had escaped the fog's effects.

Beneath his feet, the water of the river began to slow as a swift, eastern wind blew against its current. As its movements grew sluggish, ice began to spread until in a matter of minutes the entirety of the river had been encased in ice and the air became frigid with the chill. Link's teeth chattered and the sword shook in his hands as his body rocked from the cold. He jumped down from the column onto the ice. All around him, frost and fog blocked out any glimpse of the forest. If he didn't know any better, Link might have even thought he was inside some sort of giant white room. He kept the stone column to his back and narrowed his eyes, trying to pierce the gloom for whoever might appear to face him.

" _Link? Link, what's going on?"_

Link jerked at the sudden entrance of Navi's voice into the otherwise silent river. His free hand dropped to his hat where he was now aware of Navi struggling to find her way out and into the open. Keeping the master sword at the ready with one hand, Link reached down and fumbled with his hat until Navi had a big enough opening to wriggle free and join him. The tiny fairy shivered, her arms rubbing up and down on her bare arms until she burrowed herself into the space between his outer green tunic and the thicker cloth one beneath, clinging to the links in his chainmail for grip near the back of his shoulder.

" _Where are we?"_ she asked, and Link could imagine her peering around the fog, unable to reconcile the view with their camp in the forest.

Link brought his foot down on the icy ground and scraped aside the thin layer of frost that obscured the frozen river below. Navi gasped. _"Is this the River of the Dead?"_ She didn't even wait for Link's nod before shrinking into herself and trying to appear even smaller against his back. _"We need to get out of here."_

Link hummed but didn't move from his spot near the stone column. His instincts still screamed of something dangerous lurking beyond his sights and Link refused to be caught unawares. That being said, he also knew the risks of waiting too long to act. Already he was aware of the numbness seeping into his fingers and toes from the cold. Even without the fog's effects Link could pass out from hypothermia if he dawdled much longer. Not to mention Epona and Dark who were both somewhere out there asleep and vulnerable to who or whatever had brought the cold and fog in the first place.

Swallowing down his unease, Link took a step forward in the direction he could best recall leaving Dark and Epona from. Shifting in his clothes, Navi's presence gave him hope that if he could find a way to reach his companions and pull them onto the river, the effects of the fog would pass.

" _Link?"_

He ignored Navi for the moment in favor of peeking at the back of his left hand where the Triforce was still aglow. It brightened the closer he got to the wall of fog and Link cocked his head in interest as the milky clouds seemed to pull away at his approach.

Navi tugged at his tunic. _"Hey, listen! Do you hear that?"_

Link stopped moving forward and twitched his ears. There was indeed something else breaking through the muted silence around them. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on what the faint sound was that seemed so distant and familiar. Music, it was definitely music, though not something he'd heard before. But the tone, the tendency to keep to only a few different notes, Link's eyes shot open and he turned in the direction of the sounds.

" _That's Dark's ocarina!"_ Navi's wings beat against his tunic in excitement and Link raced forward, careless of how his boots slid against the icy river, quick to follow the music that would hopefully lead him to his shadow. Soon enough the ice gave way to grass, and just as Link collided with the wall of fog the sound of the ocarina suddenly went quiet.

Link stuttered to a halt, safe in a small bubble of clear air, but surrounded on all sides by fog and unable to even see the river he knew was only a few feet away. He turned in a circle, completely disoriented and groaned in frustration.

" _Dark, if you can hear me keep playing! We're right here!"_

The two waited, but nothing happened. In his mind Link let loose a string of curses increasingly blasphemous in nature and went so far as to motion for Navi to hunker down lower in his tunic and slung on his shield. A trap. The song was nothing but a lure and now Link had nothing to shield his back and ensure the enemy came at him from the front. Navi too seemed to get the hint and she went still so as to not distract him with her fidgeting.

From the right, the sound of muffled footsteps came in and out of range and Link whirled in the direction they seemed to be headed. He chased after the noise, changing direction again and again as the footsteps seemed to zig-zag at random until Link lost all sense of where he was.

" _Link, over there!"_ Navi flew up to tug wildly at his ear, and Link ground to a halt to look in the direction he was being urged. Just within range of sight, he caught glimpse of a familiar, dark-clothed figure on his hands and knees and visibly shaking. Link let out his breath in a relieved exhale and slid his shield onto his back.

Thank the Goddesses. Link moved towards Dark at a much calmer pace. _"The fog must have gotten to him, that's why he stopped playing."_ Navi relaxed and released Link's ear to settle in his hair instead. Link nodded in agreement and reached out for Dark's shoulder-

Only to be shoved away as Dark whirled onto his feet, red eyes wide and snatching up the black sword that was still stuck in the ground beside him.

"Stay- stay away from me!"

Link froze in place, his free hand open and placating while the other tightened his grip on the master sword. He knew a cornered animal when he saw one, and Dark was hitting all marks. Keeping as still as he could, Link watched as Dark backpedaled on shaky legs. A few steps and he collided with the trunk of a young tree that had sprouted closer to the edge of the river than most. Dark struck the wood with a dull thud and his breathing ratcheted up several notches when he realized what it was he hit.

"No," Dark's focus shifted from the tree's bare branches, to Link, to back to the tree. "No, no, no, no."

" _Is he okay?"_ Navi slipped from his hair to hover over Link's shoulder. _"Dark?"_

Hearing his name seemed to be the last straw because Dark went eerily still and his eyes narrowed. His focuse squared on the duo and Link barely had time to bring his sword up in a block as the shadow threw himself off the tree and at Link's head with wild abandon.

Navi screamed and dove for the safety of Link's tunic as the two fell into an exchange of blows. Dark's strikes were powerful enough to send jolts down Link's arms, fueled as they were by fear and adrenaline, but they were unfocused, giving Link more than enough room to either block or deflect each one as they came.

" _Dark, stop! It's us!"_ Instead of bringing Dark to his senses, Navi's cries only made things worse.

"Leave me alone!" Dark made a wild thrust forward and reached his free hand back as if to make a grab for his shield.

Oh, no you don't. Link parried the blow off to the right and charged forward, tucking his shoulder and ramming Dark in the sternum. As the shadow stumbled, Link pulled his sword arm into a backhanded swing that forced Dark to duck low and with his right hand snatched the rim of the shield still resting on his back.

As the two fell away from each other, Link took Dark's shield and flung it as far as he could. No sense in giving the crazed Hylian any advantages. Dark himself was seething at the loss, shoulders heaving with his enraged pants and sword arm trembling. Link pressed his advantage, striking at Dark with easy to block swings and forcing him back.

Navi peeked her head out. _"What do we do?"_

A good question. One Link wished he had a definitive answer to, but he would settle for disarming Dark so that he could hopefully talk him down. Link's next strike was parried to the side and he was cut off guard as Dark followed up with a feint and another swing to the head. To Navi's shock and displeasure, Link was forced into a roll, nearly falling flat on his back when his feet hit ice again, and he and Navi slid back out onto the river.

Link scrambled for his feet, dashing to the side as he caught the reflection of Dark bringing his black master sword down to impale him against the frozen river. Scattering ice cut into the side of Link's face and he hissed as he forced himself to work through the pain and stand. Dark grunted as he pulled his sword free in a spray of water and ice and swung for Link again. This time though, he'd swung too wide with too unbalanced of a stance. A well-aimed strike low on the blade and Link was able to send Dark's sword clattering to the ground where it skittered away and out of reach.

Wasting no time, Link reached for Dark's arm and twisted it at the wrist, lunging forward at the same time to drive his left knee against the small of Dark's back and push him to the ground. Dark landed with a hard grunt, struggling for a moment or two as Link sheathed his master sword and solidified his hold. Within seconds Dark was fully pinned, his right arm trapped out wide with Link's forearm pressed against the back of his neck and knee coming down heavy on his spine. Both of them were left panting as Link's loose hair fell across his face and Navi emerged again to hover just in Dark's line of sight.

" _Dark?"_ Navi kept her voice quiet and gentle, as she would for a cautious foal and bent down so that she was level with his face where it was pressed with his cheek against the ground. _"Dark, can you hear me?"_

Dark's eyes were still wild and Link could see his fingers grasping desperately at the ice for purchase. It wasn't from anger though, from this close it became obvious to Link, it was fear.

Link sighed, there was nothing for it, even as Navi continued to try and coax Dark out of his hysteria he settled in and prepared to keep Dark pinned for as long as it took for the fog's effects to ebb. The Triforce was still maintaining the bubble of clear air around him, so hopefully once enough time had passed Dark would come back to his senses.

The process was gradual, taking several minutes for the last of Dark's twitching to stop and even longer before the shadow blinked and Link recognized sanity coming back into his eyes. The body beneath him relaxed and Dark's focus shifted from Navi to Link.

"Um, so… this is awkward. Could you let me up now?" Link stayed put and Dark cleared his throat. "It's um, kind of getting cold down here."

Link arched an eyebrow, but a shrug and a nod from Navi was enough and he eased himself up. When Dark made no moves to attack him again Link stood to his feet, offering a hand to his shadow to join him. Dark accepted the help then proceeded to brush the frost and ice from his clothes as he refused to meet the eyes of Link or Navi.

" _Dark."_ Never one to let silence be, Navi didn't wait long to call to him. _"What happened? Why did you attack us?"_ Her tone was accusatory, but neither Link or Dark called her out on it. As far as Link was concerned her caution was warranted. The fog had sent Navi and Epona to sleep, it hadn't made them fearful or aggressive.

Dark rubbed at the back of his neck. "I- I thought I was somewhere else." He glanced around at their white surroundings and tucked his arms around himself. "The fog made me confused. I was sleepy and then I was surrounded by white and I thought I was back in the Water Temple." Link was somewhat surprised when Dark shuffled closer to him but didn't react as Dark came to a stop just shy of brushing his arm.

"I thought you were- but you're not. It was you, not him and then the fog was gone and I could think again." Dark dropped his face into the palm of his hand and groaned. "Sorry, for attacking you."

Link lifted his arm and with slow, deliberate movements brought it down against Dark's shoulders. It wasn't quite a hug, but it was touch that didn't intend aggression and it seemed to help calm the shadow down. Navi didn't join, but she did resettle in Link's hair.

" _Okay well, as long you don't plan on doing it again… We should see if we can find a way to get rid of this fog."_

That at least, they could all agree on. Dark cleared his throat and pulled away, and with Link following close behind wandered over to his fallen sword and sheathed it. "Do we know what's causing it?" he asked.

Link shook his head and looked around at the circle of fog surrounding them. A furrow formed between his eyebrows as he noticed something he hadn't before, a pattern to the swirling movements. He gestured to the clouds.

" _What?"_

"Oh," Dark seemed to notice before Navi. "It's converging somewhere." Link nodded, but before heading in the direction of the fog's source, he took Dark by the hand and led him back towards where he remembered tossing the shadow's shield. Once found he brushed the stray dirt from its surface and handed it back.

"Thanks."

Weapons retrieved, the trio then followed the path of the fog as it drifted back onto the river. "There it is," Dark indicated to a spot on the ice where the fog thickened to a white sphere around which everything else seemed to circle. Link stepped forward and as he reached down, the smog parted to reveal what looked like a glass sphere just small enough to rest comfortably in the palm of Link's hand.

" _What is it?"_ Navi asked, hovering near but not touching the bead.

"Something magical probably," said Dark. "Question is who put it there." A good question, but one Link didn't think they were going to get an answer to at the moment. He rolled the bead around in his hand, marveling at the purple sheen it took at a certain angle.

" _Okay then, how do we turn it off? We can't get anywhere with all this fog, and Epona's still asleep somewhere."_

"Good point," Dark reached over and poked the ball. Link sucked in a breath as the purple sheen darkened to red for just a moment, but went back to normal the second Dark removed his hand. He glanced between Navi and the shadow but neither seemed to have any reaction. Link frowned, he was sure the bead had reacted to Dark, but was willing to let it go for the moment if no one else had noticed.

"I think our best bet would be to try and destroy it," Dark suggested, looking to Link for approval. Well, it wasn't like they had any better ideas, and nothing else had appeared for them to fight. Link shrugged and nodded, collapsing his hand around the sphere in a tight fist and squeezing. The light of the Triforce on the back of his hand flared a bright yellow and inside his hand Link felt the bead heat up to the point of almost burning when he felt the glass crack inside his palm and the Triforce went dark.

Around them, the wind whipped itself into a screaming frenzy and Dark, Link, and Navi hunkered down against one another as the fog was blown far and wide, leaving nothing but clear skies and a frozen river in its wake. Link heard Dark gasp beside him and he himself was in near awe at the sight of so much green around them.

A smile crept onto Link's face, only to fall as he heard a loud crack, and the ice beneath their feet began to rumble.


	8. Chapter 8

" _Master, I have good news." The sorcerer bowed low at the waist, long hair obscuring both his face and his view of the giant of a man standing at the edge of the mirror-still lake. Surrounding them and bustling around, a thick flock of keese squeaked with unease at how far they had been forced to follow their masters into unfriendly territory. One of the winged monsters swiveled its giant eye in the sorcerer's direction and settled on his shoulder. "One of my traps has borne fruit."_

 _Attention at half capacity, the sorcerer watched his master rise to his feet, letting the waters of Lake Hylia slip between his large fingers with a thoughtful moue. He surveyed the island and the waters which surrounded it with a baleful eye and grunted, sending the keese scattering._

" _And?"_

 _The sorcerer deepened his bow. "I can only hope you will find it as intriguing as I." His eyelids fluttered at the memory of the sublime zephyr of power that had been alerted to him._

 _A sunset orange eyebrow rose. "Find it," said his master. "And bring it to me."_

If asked, Dark would later blame his inaction on the lingering effects of the noxious fog. And in a way he wasn't lying. As the ice cracked beneath his and Link's feet it was sheer terror that kept him rooted to the spot. The same spine-shattering fear that had gripped him when he found himself surrounded by white and sure beyond doubt that somehow he was back in the Water Temple; it held him then and it held him now.

The spray of water turned his lips blue at the touch but Dark could not even twitch. Seeing but not seeing, he watched Link move. Without hesitation he stuffed what remained of the orb crushed in his palm into the pouch at his hip and turned for the shore. He was already five or six steps into a dead sprint before Dark managed to look down at the water pooling beneath his feet and lament in the assurance that he was about to drown. Be swallowed up by the water and disappear like nothing. The thought that he could run, escape from that reality, never even occurred to him.

Then a hand circled his wrist in an almost bone-crushing grip.

" _Dark what are you waiting for, come on!"_ Something in Navi's voice must have had the power to break through any and all attempts to mute her because Dark's head was shooting up at the sound of her almost as much as at the sensation of being dragged hard enough to give him whiplash.

Link was looking over his shoulder at him like he'd grown a second head, but his hold didn't falter as he all but forced Dark to snap out of his stupor and run for himself. He gave no response other than a shaky nod and a somewhat pathetic whine, but he did pick up his feet to match Link's hurtling pace.

" _Quick, you're almost there!"_

Navi made it to the safe side of the river with time to spare, faster on wings than either of the Hylians could ever hope to be on foot, and from there she called out encouragement as Link and Dark sped their way across the frozen river. Their path was crooked, the splintering ice sending jets of freezing water into the air and forcing them to snake their way to safety. But they'd made it over half of the way before the center of the river collapsed fully and was replaced by a vengeful and roaring current.

Though Link cast a glance back to see how fast the gap in the ice was widening, Dark didn't dare for fear of his pace slowing. And as it turned out, this choice was the right one as a hairline seam appeared ahead of them. Dark side-stepped, stretching the distance he was allowed because of the hand on his arm, Link did not. His foot fell straight through, and though he did not fall, a burst of water from the River of the Dead hit him full in the face.

" _Link!"_ Dark's wrist was released in an instant as Link stumbled, straining to keep from collapsing under the shock of the cold that had hit him so suddenly and was now spreading in thin rivulets from his face to the rest of his body. Navi was screaming something else, but Dark couldn't be bothered to decipher it. He swallowed his own self-preservation instincts that had kicked in enough by this point to tell him to run and slowed down to grasp his reincarnation by the back of his tunic and _haul._

Link was heavy, much more so than he looked, though part of that must have been the vast array of weapons the Hylian managed to keep on his person at all times. But Dark managed it and half-dragged, half-carried the gasping and shivering man the rest of the way until they both collapsed safe on the blessed grass of the river's southside shore.

"Goddesses be praised," Dark pressed his lips against the ground and for a moment just let himself bask in the feeling of dry earth beneath him. He might have even stayed there and let himself fall into a rare bout of sleep if not for Navi's sudden wail.

" _Link? Link, please get up!"_ Dark turned his face over to the right and grit his teeth as he met the sight of Link's slack face and closed eyes. He was pale, almost matching Dark, meaning he was far too ashen for any healthy, natural born Hylian. Blood flowed sluggish and dark from the cut on his cheek and his lips were a worrisome shade of blue.

"Dammit." Dark forced himself up to his elbows and dragged himself over. Wrapping his hand around Link's nearest shoulder he rolled the man onto his back so his face was up to the sky instead of pressing against the ground. Dark sighed in the slightest amount of relief when he saw the shallow rise and fall of Link's chest. "Link," he said, keeping hold of his shoulder and shaking. "Link!" A weak groan slipped from between Link's lips, but nothing more.

" _Dark, he's not waking up."_ Navi was hovering just over her partner's head and tugging a stray lock of his blond hair that had somehow managed to stay dry. _"Dark?"_

Dark shifted his eyes to meet the fairy's and felt the pit of his stomach drop at what he saw. Navi was supposed to be like his north star. Always sure of what to do and where to go. But from the desperate look of her, she was about as clueless as Dark.

"Okay." Dark gathered himself and forced his body to get into a standing position despite the ache that was whispering at him to stay down. "Okay, we need to get him warm." He glanced around for the bedrolls and packs that held their combined belongings, including the cloak Zelda had given him and Link's bedding materials. "Where's," his eyes drifted out to the river and the distant shore beyond where Dark could just make out Epona sleeping away. "Damn it."

" _What do we do?"_

Dark shut his eyes for a moment and pushed down the swell of frustration and panic that was threatening to set in. "Fire," he said after a moment. "We need fire." Their best bet would be to make their way deeper into the forest where the wood would be more abundant and the air free of the river's natural chill. Plan in place, Dark dropped to a knee beside his fallen reincarnation and with one hand around Link's wrist and the other hooked around his leg, pulled him up and over his shoulders. Dark grunted and his legs trembled under the weight, but he took a breath to steady himself and turned in the direction of the trees.

"Let's go," he said between panting breaths. Beside him, Navi nodded mutely and flew off ahead to light the way.

Dark trudged on opposite the path of the river until he could no longer see his own breath manifesting in front of his face. When the air finally felt warm again Navi alerted him to an area that seemed rich in dry wood and leaf litter for kindling and Dark set Link back down on the ground.

" _We need to get him out of those clothes or he'll freeze before we can get a fire going,"_ said the fairy, apparently having gathered herself enough to offer verbal advice.

Dark nodded. "On it." He slipped Link's belt free from his waist and tossed it aside. "See if you can find flint in Link's pouch anywhere, mine's still with Epona." As Navi disappeared into the unknown depths of the pouch Link kept tied to his belt, Dark set himself to stripping the other man of the rest of his weapons as well as his soaked green tunic and the particularly frigid chainmail beneath. Dark chucked the clothes away and sighed in relief when he found Link's cloth undershirt to be relatively dry.

" _I found it!"_ Navi stumbled out from Link's pouch, a flint stone held up in her arms.

"Good." Dark stood and rushed over to where he could spot a large korok leaf dangling from a tree. He laid the leaf down beside Link and with some effort managed to push the unconscious knight onto its surface and off the bare ground. He then snatched the flint from Navi's hands and began to gather wood and smaller dried leaves. When he'd found enough Dark struck a spark and set the small pile ablaze. Both he and Navi sighed as the flames took and warmth began to radiate from the campfire.

Navi cast Dark a grateful look and flew over to stand beside Link's head. She rested a hand on her partner's cheek and frowned at the cold that still permeated his skin. _"He needs to be closer."_

"Right," Dark shuffled over and used the korok leaf to pull Link right up against the small flame. Then he laid the back of his palm against the blond's forehead. "It's not enough," Dark stripped out of his outer tunic and laid it over Link's upper body. "Why is he still so cold?"

Navi flew up and began to rub her hands over the back of Link's palm, offering the small amount of heat the friction she created could provide. _"That was the River of the Dead back there,"_ she explained. _"Its called that because the waters are so cold it's like standing on the top of Mount Hylia."_

"Well that just figures," Dark muttered under his breath. Realizing that Navi had the right idea he started to rub his hand up and down Link's arm to provide what heat he could as well. The two remained in silence for a while, watching with bated breath as the blue began to fade from Link's lips and the Hylian started to shiver, losing the unnatural stillness of someone close to freezing to death. When at last a healthy flush of color entered his cheeks and it seemed that the older man was on the way to recovery, Dark sat back and sagged against a nearby tree. He expected Navi to stay glued to her partner's side, but found himself surprised when instead she drifted over to rest on his drawn up knee.

"What?"

Navi fixed him with a strange look. _"Thank you for helping him,"_ she said.

"Sure I did," he said back, one eyebrow arched and unsure of whether he should be offended. "Why wouldn't I?"

Navi shrugged. _"I don't know. But you seemed pretty scared of him back in that fog and then you guys fought, so…"_ she made a helpless gesture with her hands.

"Look," said Dark leaning forward so his face was at level with Navi standing on his knee. "Can we just let that drop. I was confused and the fog was messing with my head, it has nothing to do with you and Link." Navi looked unconvinced, but seemed to let that go as her expression softened.

" _What did you see?"_

"Huh?"

" _You said the fog was messing with your head, not just making you tired. So what did you see?"_

Dark clicked his tongue and knocked his head back against the trunk of the tree. "I knew it wasn't really the Water Temple," he said. "And I tried to use my ocarina and played the Song of Storms to blow the fog away."

" _Yeah, we heard you!"_

Dark's expression turned sardonic and he turned his face away. "Yeah well, it didn't work. I suspected, but I guess it really is just an ocarina now."

" _Oh."_ Navi's wingbeats faltered and Dark tried not to notice the fairy's awkward attempt to sympathize with him. When she finally gave up it was to the relief of both of them. _"What happened next?"_

"I guess I panicked," Dark said with a shrug.

" _That's fair I suppose,"_ said Navi. Dark appreciated the concession though he didn't acknowledge it other than to give a slight hum. The phantom sensation of being pinned to the ice still lingered against the skin of his cheek, in the ache of his wrist and lower back. He hadn't been thinking clearly, that much was certain, but it was more than a little disconcerting to know just how easily Link had subdued him. Dark cast his eyes back over to the shivering Hylian. Link's training or not, the gulf of skill between them was just too wide for Dark to feel comfortable.

"How far to the desert?" he asked, eager to distract himself.

" _Well, we passed just northwest of Mount Hylia,"_ said Navi, tapping a finger against her chin in thought. _"So if we follow the path between Gerudo Canyon and Mount Nabooru we should reach the desert proper in a few days."_

Dark sighed. "And that's not counting the time it takes for us to backtrack, find the supplies we left behind and meet back up with Epona." He braced his right arm against the knee he had drawn up, brushing Navi from her perch in the process, and rubbed his fingers against his eyes. "This escort mission of yours just gets worse and worse and I'm not sure if it's your fault or mine."

Navi huffed and resettled on the ground beside Dark's foot instead. _"So, we didn't expect it to take this long, that's fine. Zelda can handle things without us and besides,"_ she looked over to where Link seemed to have finally settled into a calmer sleep. _"It's been a while since Link's been this relaxed. Chaotic as it's been, this is still the closest thing to a vacation he's had in awhile."_

She had Dark's full attention again at that. "What?" How was nearly being frozen to death and forced to babysit your own shadow more relaxing than hanging around the princess in a castle? Dark would give anything to go back to that first day of running amok in Castle Town with Zelda back in his era.

The fairy shrugged. Apparently, that was all she was going to say on the matter.

"Well still, I would hate for Zelda to assume I killed you and dumped you in a ditch somewhere and Link looks like he could use some rest," said Dark. "You two should head back to the Outskirt Stable. You'll be able to meet back up with Epona and recuperate there before heading back."

Navi frowned. _"But what about you? It's still a long way, even to Kara Kara Bazaar."_

"It's fine." Dark got to his feet and wandered over to check on Link's temperature. Yes, definitely better though by the faint tremors running through his body it would be a close thing if Link ended up with a cold or not. Feeling a little guilty for doing so, Dark retrieved his tunic from over Link's shoulders and shook it out over the flames. "I can go the rest of the way myself."

" _It's not fine."_ Navi flew up and pressed her tiny hands against Dark's chest as if she had any chance of holding him back. _"What if the Yiga Clan comes after you again?"_

Dark cast a thought to his misplaced pack still tied to Epona's saddle somewhere. "They won't."

" _But what if they do?"_

"You really think Link will be able to do much about it like this?" Dark gestured down to the man in question who was still soundly asleep. "At this point I'd be more liable to get him killed than be in danger myself." That was half true. The other half was a knotted worry deep in Dark's chest of wondering what would happen if Tal or another Yiga showed up again and tried to recruit him in front of Link. He felt pretty confident that between a week's training with Link and his experience fighting Tal, that he could hold his own. But if Link got involved… there would be blood and not the majority of it belonging to the Hero of Courage. And if the Yiga Clan really were all that was left of the Sheikah. All that were left of Impa's people, _Sheik's_ people, then he didn't want any part in their extinction.

Dark threw on his sword and shield and, after a quick, cursory glance to make sure the campfire he'd made would last for at least the rest of the night, turned to the south where he knew he would find the road leading to Gerudo Town.

" _Dark! Dark, stop!"_

"Out of my way, bug."

" _I won't let you just leave us behind,"_ Navi was pounding away at his chest with her tiny fists but Dark didn't have the heart to just brush her away. He kept walking forward, sure that she would turn back the moment he got out of sight of Link.

"I'd like to see you stop me," he said, just to throw a bit of salt in the wound.

" _I said, stop!"_ In a fit of what must have been desperation Navi actually bull-rushed him, charging headfirst into Dark's forehead and bringing them both up short.

"OW!" One of Dark's hands went up to the rapidly forming bruise at the center of his brow even as the other instinctively reached out to snatch up the limp fairy. "Thrice damned blight on the Goddesses!" He rubbed at the sore spot on his head for a moment then looked down on a trembling Navi. "Geez you stupid fairy, now look at you. You could have crushed your wings if I hadn't caught you." The little guardian was small and unsteady in his cupped palm and Dark groaned as he looked between her and her charge.

"For the love of Hylia." The manipulative little pest. With Navi a stunned mess and Link down for the count Dark couldn't just leave. He'd have felt justified enough if Navi were able to keep watch while his reincarnation recovered, but without her Link was a sitting duck for anything that wandered by. Dark dropped to the ground with a dull thud and settled Navi more comfortably between his hands. "You couldn't have hit me that hard you know."

With an exaggerated moan that had Dark's eyes rolling so hard it hurt, Navi turned over so that she could meet Dark's eyes. _"It's your fault for trying to leave without us."_ A pair of shaking arms wrapped themselves firmly around his thumb and Dark couldn't help the upward twist of his lips at how much Navi looked like a pouting child just then. _"And don't worry, Epona will find us soon enough."_

Apparently confident enough that Dark wouldn't try to leave again, Navi curled up snug around Dark's thumb and let her eyes slide shut. He suspected the rush of everything that had happened was finally beginning to ebb and sure enough, the fairy was snoozing away in his hands in no time. "What?" Dark said to no one in particular. "I don't get to sleep? I was the one who got my ass kicked, pretty sure that means I'm the one who should get to take a breather."

The words were mostly empty, and though he could feel himself edging around the borders of exhaustion, Dark knew full well that the other two needed the rest more than him. Resigned to staying in Link and Navi's company at least for the time being he got comfortable and set in to wait for Epona's apparent return.

He was tempted to try playing his ocarina again. Even without the magic it held back in his era, Dark had seen Epona's reaction before. She liked the song and would probably follow it regardless of its supernatural powers. But that could wait. Dark considered the small weight of Navi in his hands and the warmth she exuded and decided against trying to move her. This was the longest time she'd touched him, and it felt so achingly reminiscent of his Navi that he couldn't help the greedy desire to just let himself forget that she wasn't. Let himself pretend that he was simply on his way to the next temple to free the sages and waiting for Sheik to show up and teach him a new song on his ocarina.

Some deep, dark part of himself that enjoyed the aching pain it caused him could imagine what the Sheikah would say if he could see Dark now.

 _You need to concentrate on the task at hand. Forget the parts of the past that cannot be reclaimed and focus on building a better future._

How was he supposed to do that? Dark shifted his position on the ground to face the tiny campfire and could almost imagine he could see Sheik in the growing shadows of the trees around him and the red-orange licks of flame.

 _Take stock of your situation. You might have the body of an adult and be older than anyone alive, but still you act like a child. Have you even taken the time to consider the tools at your disposal?_

Dark grimaced. Even in his own mind he couldn't escape Sheik's cutting, backwards mentorship. But it was true, from the way he'd steadfastly ignored the resources in Hyrule Castle to hide away in the stables to leaving immediately for the Gerudo Desert instead of trying to gather information on this current era. He was running. Trying so hard to keep busy so he could ignore the reality screaming at him from all sides. First and foremost, the Link who was strewn out in a heap before him.

 _It could be worse, he is stronger than you even when you were whole._ The jerk would probably still be plucking away at his damn harp as he said it too. Dark glared through the fire to the ghost of his friend. _Hyrule will have no want of a champion for as long as Link is safe._

But how good was a champion when all they did was sit around patrolling an already secured castle? From what little he'd learned from Zelda, she was reluctant to send Link any farther than the areas directly under her domain. He wasn't even supposed to follow Dark past the desert border. Why? Within hours of knowing the princess, Zelda had sent Dark on a quest all across Hyrule, from the Zora Kingdom to the Gorons. How could his Zelda and Link's have such different approaches to keeping Hyrule safe?

 _Zelda sent you to retrieve the remaining Spiritual Stones. Perhaps this Zelda knows of no such artifacts?_

Dark frowned. In his time there were clear steps that had to be completed in order to defeat Ganondorf. First collecting the Spiritual Stones and then freeing the Sages. Surely some sort of caveat like that existed here as well.

 _Something to consider, but not what is most critical at the time being. That quest will surely fall to Link when it makes itself known, what is yours?_

His quest? To defeat Ganondorf, protect Zelda. The same as it had always been.

 _You must be specific._ Sheik's one visible eye would have rolled at him and he might have even missed a note on his instrument. _To be ambitious is good, to be unfocused a liability. You are not the Hero of Time here, do not try to be._

But deep down he _was_ Link, wasn't he? And if he wasn't, Dark wasn't sure he knew how to be anything else. A false Kokiri, a child playing a knight, the rejected parts of a hero, what could he be expected to accomplish?

 _Something no one else can._

A nice sentiment, and Dark was glad some part of his mind thought that enough to make his mental Sheik say so, but what could that be? He supposed like the shade had said it was something to consider.

Dark rested his head against the trunk of the tree and blinked away the rare urge for sleep. Tomorrow, he decided. Tomorrow he would have Link or Navi keep watch long enough for him to get a few hours rest in before setting out again. But for the time being, he tucked Navi in close to his chest and focused on the warmth exuded by her glow to begin his silent vigil.


	9. Chapter 9

"Nayru, grant me your wisdom." The prayer was a simple one, but one Zelda was quite familiar with and fond of reciting. She kept her head bowed and eyes shut before the altar of the Triforce and focused on collecting the unmanifested powers of light that she knew slept within her. Zelda could imagine that if anyone walked in on her in the temple, they would see her body aglow in the soft light of holy energy. "Show me the course to take."

A light knock on the temple doors broke her meditative trance and Zelda sighed before collecting herself and standing to her feet. The shimmer around her died just as her eyes opened. "Enter." She was unsurprised to find Impa charging inside with a castle paige at her heels.

"Forgive the interruption, Princess." The newcomers bowed low, though Impa straightened almost immediately to give introductions. "We had a scout arrive with an urgent message."

Zelda's arched brow marked the only sign of her interest, though inside her heart rate ratcheted up a notch. "Oh? Has Sir Link sent word of his mission?" Her appointed knight had already been gone far longer than she'd anticipated when she sent him to follow his shadow. Even if he'd been forced to track Dark all the way to the borders of Gerudo territory, she'd expected him to at least keep in touch via her patrols. But it had been a full week since he'd communicated his progress.

From where he still stood at a full bow, the paige shook his head. "No, Princess."

Disappointment had Zelda bunching the fabric of her dress in her fists. But at the curious tilt of Impa's head she forced herself to relax. "Then, what is it?"

"We received an emissary from Zora's Domain."

"A Zora?" Zelda couldn't hide the surprise in her voice that time. She traded a confused glance with Impa, who she was relieved to see looked similarly shocked at the news.

The paige nodded without looking up. He withdrew a wrapped scroll from his messenger bag marked with a blue seal carrying the triple crescent of the Zora. Impa took the message from the paige and ferried it down the length of the temple and into Zelda's hands.

"What was the demeanor of the emissary?" she asked as she broke the wax and began to open the scroll.

"Tense, Princess. Accompanied by two armed guards and they never left the waters of the Zora River."

Not unusual for the cautious creatures that inhabited Zora's Domain, but perhaps a bit heavier on the side of paranoia than was warranted for the situation. "I presume our border guards acted amiably?"

"Of course." Well that at least was a relief. Zelda turned to the scroll in her hands and scanned the carefully scrawled message written in the unsteady hand of a Zora. It only took three lines before the full implications of the message started making itself clear.

Zelda clenched her jaw and resisted the urge to crumple the scroll in her hands, instead forcing herself to hold her composure and finish the message. Temper held at bay with an iron will, she folded the scroll shut and handed it back to Impa. "Wait outside," she ordered the paige, steel enough to cut in her voice. The young Hylian visibly flinched at her tone and left the room without another word. Only when the doors closed shut behind him did Zelda allow herself to let loose a sound of frustration and turn her back on Impa.

"Bad news?" the attendant asked.

Grace of the Goddesses, Zelda took a deep, steadying breath and let it out in a slow exhale. "Let's just say this was the worst time to send Link on an extended mission."

"Poor luck? Or do you expect it was by design?"

There was no way to tell, but Zelda wasn't about to take chances. "Either way, the situation is one that must be dealt with immediately."

A hum of acceptance from Impa. "Shall I send word for him to return at all haste?"

Zelda considered the idea of having Dark recalled as well, but quickly discarded the idea. The time for unknowns this was not. "Yes," she said instead. "Have the message drafted and I will give it my seal." That was all the word her attendant needed and Impa was off and out of the temple in a matter of seconds. Zelda didn't turn from the altar and her focus drifted from one corner of the Triforce to the other.

"Nayru, grant me your wisdom," she said, beginning her prayer anew.

"It's a lot...bigger than I remember."

Link hummed his acknowledgment, keeping his face turned forward so as not to alert Dark to the amused smile that was growing on his lips. Bigger indeed. Out ahead of them past the mouth of Gerudo Canyon spanned the dry sea that made up most of the Gerudo Desert. Link swept a hand across his brow, wiping away what he could of the sweat that had dampened the hair peeking out from under his hat. He wouldn't admit it even if he could, but it was a lot hotter than he'd expected too. Link looked up and to the left where Dark was peering out over the desert from the top of a patch of rock hugging the edge of the canyon. The extra boost had put him just a bit higher than Link from atop Epona.

" _Aren't you burning up over there? It's so hot!"_ Link's thoughts exactly, and he nodded along with Navi who was fanning her face from her perch on Link's shoulder.

"Huh?" Dark's attention was pulled away from the vast span of orange and tan and back to Link and Navi. "I guess?" he said. "Never really noticed."

Navi moaned. _"You're so weird."_

Link couldn't disagree as he considered the shadow. Over the course of the past few days they'd spent tracking down Epona and making the rest of the way to the desert, Link had spent a fair amount of time considering how the shadow would adjust to the change in climate. He'd even feared that perhaps Dark would have a severe reaction due to the heat and unobstructed sunlight since everything he'd pieced together of the man's origins indicated a birth in water and cold. But as he'd observed, it was the opposite that seemed to be true.

A sneeze ripped its way out of Link and even Epona jerked at the rough shock that ran through Link's body. Dark hopped down to the ground and grasped the reins from Link's hands to steady the horse. "You sure you're okay?" he asked as Link took advantage of his freed up hands to cover his face and sneeze again. Note to self, don't fall into frozen rivers.

Link nodded and waved aside Dark's doubtful look as he took back the reins. "Suit yourself," he said and took the lead forward into the sand. Sure enough, for as long as Link had been recovering in small increments from the fever he'd caught in the mess on the River of the Dead, Dark had been a steadfast pillar of support. He'd never really grasped before just how much stamina the shadow had, not needing to sleep, and his vast knowledge of the forest and how to survive within it. As much as Link was not unable to survive in the wilderness without help, he was very aware that his upbringing in close proximity to Hyrule Castle had acclimatized him to a certain standard of provision. Without Dark's help, the last week would have been dodgy to say the least.

Link dismounted from Epona and removed both his and Dark's packs. He tossed Dark his and turned to give Epona a final stroke along her nose.

" _Zelda's not going to be happy that we're going with Dark,"_ said Navi. Link passed his partner a look.

What Zelda doesn't know won't hurt her. They were simply… on an extended patrol.

"She's right you know." Link turned to face Dark who was standing in the sand, watching red grains fall between his fingers like he'd never seen it before. When the last of the sand blew away, Dark shook out his fingers and looked up. "I can make it the rest of the way on my own. I'll even send a messenger hawk if you want."

Link shook his head. He was, eager. As much as he knew the plains of Hyrule like the Triforce on the back of his hand, the Gerudo Desert, the other Kingdoms in general, were a mystery to him. A light fluttering, like excitement, burrowed in his chest. Another pat and a sharp whistle and Epona was off and Link stepped up beside his shadow, pack in hand.

From his shoulder, Navi sighed and fanned her face. _"I guess we really are going."_ She moaned and dumped her chin on her free palm.

Dark grinned, baring white teeth as he chuckled. "Oh come on, it's not that bad. Watch, I'll race you to the top of that dune." With a child-like glint in his red eyes, Dark slapped the side of Link's arm and dashed for the steep rise of sand in the distance. A cloud of sand dust scattered in his wake and Navi squealed.

" _Idiot! We're not- Link? Link, what're you doing? WAIT!"_ Knightly decorum tossed into the wind to blow back into Hyrule proper, Link stuffed Navi into the safety of his hat and raced after his shrinking shadow. A laugh bubbled out of his throat as he felt the fairy grip his hair for dear life, unable to help but peek out from under her shelter to watch him run.

He panted low and deep. The sand made the running difficult, not like the hard-packed dirt of Ordon or Castle Town that propelled him forward with every step. Instead it felt like every time he planted his feet he slipped back another inch as the ground gave way beneath him. Link grunted in frustration and lightened his steps, kicking up his knees to try and speed his way through.

"You're losing slowpoke!" Dark, it seemed, was not having nearly as much trouble, already racing up the steep incline like his feet carried no weight at all. The younger man reached the top of the dune and planted himself in a victory stance before Link even reached the halfway point.

" _Geez Dark, it doesn't count when you cheat right at the start."_ For someone who was opposed to the race to begin with, Navi somehow felt inclined to protest on Link's behalf when he finally caught up.

Dark waved her objections aside to point somewhere in the distance instead. "Look at that." Link followed the direction to observe the endless span of the Gerudo Desert laid out before them.

Oh.

" _It's just the desert."_

It wasn't _just_ anything. Hyrule was a diverse assortment of trees and towns and mountains interspersed with roads and rivers that drew the eye in every which way. The desert was… well it was what Link imagined the ocean would be like. An ocean painted in orange and gold. For as far as the eye could see were waves of sand, cresting and falling with the winds, leading up to an unobstructed horizon. And in the sky, deep blue darkened into grey where a storm was brewing, carrying billows of sand where a hurricane would sheets of rain. It was everything Hyrule was not, and it was _glorious._

"You've really never left Hyrule, have you?" Dark was still facing the same horizon as Link, but his eyes had canted to watch him from the peripheral.

No. Link shook his head. Zelda had expressed a concern for consolidating Hyrule's strength, and that meant limiting the involvement of her greatest military asset in the matters of other kingdoms. Reserving him as a weapon to be drawn only when Ganondorf finally reared his head.

Something in that had never sat right in Link's heart.

"Well, whatever. You're here now so… enjoy yourself!" Dark grinned up at him and Link couldn't help but return it. This was likely the most rebellious he'd ever been between Zelda _and_ King Rhoam and he had to admit, he understood the appeal. With an unburdened grunt Link stripped out of the outer layers of his shirts, stuffing his cotton under tunic and chain mail into his pack and replacing the green tunic over bare skin. Much better.

" _You know, speaking of enjoying yourself. How did you run through all that sand so quickly?"_ Navi had transitioned over to Dark's head while Link was changing. Her blue glow especially reflective against the deep onyx of his hair.

The shadow peeked up at her with a wolf smile. "When I lived with the Kokiri," he began. "We used to get these times when all the leaves would fall from the trees and we'd make _huge_ piles of them." Dark spread his arms wide and arched his back as if to express just how grandiose these leaf towers were. It was a childish gesture, but as Link had begun to notice, Dark often let slip his young mental age when speaking of the past and especially his childhood with the eternal children.

"So anyway, sometimes we'd see who could climb the highest. Mido was always trying to beat me because he wanted to impress Saria, but he never could because he was trying so hard to look strong. The trick is, you've got to keep moving and have light feet, otherwise everything below you will just slip away and you'll fall."

Dark blinked and shifted back to facing Link from where he'd drifted off to stare into some strange middle distance. Link pretended not to notice how the grin had slowly died from from his shadow's face.

" _So!"_ For once mildly in tune with the shift in mood, Navi sprung to her feet and bent at the waist to stare upside down at Dark. _"It's kinda the same idea when running through sand, huh? Got any other tricks for how to get around here?"_ The distraction worked, and Dark's expression eased as he climbed to his feet.

"Not really. I'll admit when I visited the desert to get the Goron's Ruby for Zelda, it was a lot more rock and less sand as all this."

Navi sighed and drifted back over to Link whose face had begun to flush from the heat. His arms and cheeks too were starting to take on a bright red sheen that he had a feeling was going to sting very soon. He glanced over but Dark, still clothed in all his layers, was looking as pale and unbothered as ever.

"Aw geez, it's going to take us forever to walk to Kara Kara Bazaar." The shadow shifted to peer out at the desert and the light of the sun glinted off his shield, nearly blinding Link in the process. The spark lanced right through his eyes to nestle in his mind.

Link had an idea.

Drawing the shield from his back, Link stepped up beside Dark and tapped him on the shoulder. At the other's questioning look he gestured to his shield and grinned. Watch this.

After a small running start, Link flung himself from the top of the dune, reveling in the feeling of his stomach caught in freefall and the air against his skin before focusing, and angling the shield beneath his feet. At the last second he let go and Link collided with the ground with a rough thud, feet firmly planted inside his shield as its smooth surface carried him down the slope of the dune at record speeds. He laughed and searched over his shoulder for Dark.

" _Link! Wait for me!"_ Navi had apparently been dislodged from his shoulder at some point during his stunt and scrambled up from her spot in the sand to hunker down once again in Dark's hair. _What are you waiting for, Dark? Get him!"_

Dark absolutely cackled and mirrored Link exactly, only deviating to add a flourish with his landing that had Navi screeching as she clung to him for dear life. Link winced on behalf of his shadow's roots.

"Now who's cheating, hero?" Dark leaned forward on his shield and caught up with Link in a matter of seconds. Link only managed to catch the mischievous glint in his eyes at the last second and couldn't do anything as Dark suddenly took a sharp turn, sending a spray of sand in his direction that he caught full in the face and mouth.

So, that's how it was going to be, huh?

Link's grin hardened with determination and he widened the angle of his descent, arcing back just as Dark's path straightened and returning the favor with a sharp twist that sent a smaller but much more powerful wave of sand at Dark's gut. His other self yelped and lost his footing, falling away in a sputtering heap as Link glided the rest of the way down the dune in peace.

He came to a stop at the bottom, snapping his shield back into his hand and sliding it away against his back as he waited patiently for Dark to catch up. Sledding down a few meters up the hill he could see Dark arguing fiercely with the fairy who had transitioned to hovering just off his shoulder. The sight warmed Link's heart. That had been, fun. And from the looks of the various mounds of sand laid out ahead of them, he and Dark would get many more chances to practice as they made their way deeper.

A dark shadow passed overhead.

Link snapped his head up, immediately alert for any sign of danger, but saw nothing but blue sky and a shimmer of heat. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. Nothing then. A desert bird perhaps, shadow made all the darker and larger by the unobstructed sun behind it. Dark slid to a stop beside him, still trading barbs with Navi, and Link put the strange event out of his mind.

The rest of their trek to the trading town, meant to supply travelers to and from Gerudo Town and Hyrule, passed without incident. Though to be fair, both Link and Dark arrived at the palm-enclosed oasis covered from head to toe in thin layers of sand and sweat.

" _Finally,"_ Navi made a -overdramatic if you asked Link- slow descent from Link's shoulder to a small rock and collapsed on her hand and knees, wings limp to her either side. _"Children, you're both children. And I was fooled into thinking this was going to be some epic quest."_ She lifted her head and wailed. _"Five minutes, all I asked for was five minutes of semi-maturity!"_ A side-eye to Link. _"I expected more from you."_

Maybe Link should have felt a bit bad. That last bout of aggressive sand-surfing was definitely his fault. But he just couldn't work up the will to look repentant, and simply allowed his grin to shift into something a bit more sheepish.

Dark on the other hand, just stuck his tongue out and laughed. "Relax, grumpy. Let the old guy live a little."

Link started a little. Old? He was twenty-three, that was _not_ old. Dark was just a teenager… child? Teenage-child? Younger, Dark was just younger than him. Link rolled his eyes and waved for the two to drop the argument and follow him in to the bazaar. They were starting to get strange looks.

"Woa! Hey!" A sudden voice drew the group's collective attention and Link turned to see a road-weary Hylian waving at them from behind one of the palms furthest out from the bazaar.

Dark frowned when he caught sight of who was calling them. "I think we can safely ignore the crazy guy. Come on, Link." The shadow waved for them to continue on.

"No, no, wait! You're the Hero of Courage, right? You, in the green!" Both Hylian's froze and Link flinched when he saw Dark's shoulders tense. With a polite smile plastered on to his face, he turned and started to walk towards the man, hoping to avoid any more shouting. Dark followed close on his heel, but he could imagine just how unhappy the shadow was about it.

" _Link, you sure this is a good idea?"_ Navi whispered at him from where she'd chosen to perch on Dark's shoulder.

Link lifted his shoulders and let them drop in a shrug. Worst case scenario, he figured, between him and Dark it wasn't like the single Hylian could be a threat. But he'd rather not have someone announce his arrival so blatantly if he could help it.

"Oh good," the man sighed when they came up to him. "I was worried you hadn't heard me."

Dark crossed his arms, scowl dark and red eyes menacing. "Oh we heard you. I'm pretty sure half of Kara Kara Bazaar heard you."

The man's whole body flinched as he fully acknowledged Dark for the first time, and he side-stepped to place Link squarely between them. Link let out his breath in a sigh.

"W-what is he?" the stranger asked from around Link's shoulder.

The shadow stepped forward. "Why you!" Link was pretty sure Dark's eyes were glowing slightly, which was distressing, and he raised his open palms in a gesture of calm. Dark seethed but didn't advance any further. "I'm a Hylian, or isn't it obvious?"

"U-um?" The new attachment to Link's back looked up at him, presumably for his explanation. Link just nodded. It was the simplest explanation, and to some degree the true one.

"But your eyes are red. Like… like a Sheikah." He whispered the name, as though he were afraid to summon the extinct race by that alone.

"I'm not a Sheikah!"

" _O-KAY! Hate to interrupt, but this is getting us nowhere."_ Farore be praised, Navi flew up to hover in front of Dark's face. Putting her back to the shadow in order to frown down at the other Hylian. _"Who're you and why did you call us out like that?"_

The man took a moment to collect himself. "My name is Topa. I was just- I just wanted to help."

"Help how?" Having thankfully calmed, Dark stepped out from behind Navi, though his glare hadn't eased a bit.

Topa tore his nervous gaze from Dark to look up at Link again. "Y-you are the hero, right?"

Link nodded.

"Well, I remembered hearing about you and what you looked like. I'm not sure why you're here, but I called out to you because I don't think it's a good idea for you to just walk into a place so close to Gerudo Town."

" _Huh? Why?"_

"You mean, you don't know?"

Dark growled under his breath. "Know what? Just spit it out already."

Topa looked between the three of them like they had each just sprouted another head. "Well, I mean, the people of Hylia adore you, Sir Hero. But here um, well the Gerudo Kingdom is not an ally with Hyrule." Topa scratched at the back of his neck and averted his eyes to stare up at nothing. "Let's just say public opinion of you here, probably isn't what you're expecting."

Huh? Link blinked and then blinked again. In all honesty he'd expected anonymity in the Gerudo Desert more than anything else. After all, he'd never traveled there before. But these people, hated him? Why? True, the Gerudo as a whole had a historic connection with Ganondorf, but _he'd_ never done anything to or against them before. Perhaps Topa was mistaken. He didn't seem like the most credible source to begin with.

Dark caught his eye and nodded. Apparently he had the same idea.

"Well," he said. "As _wonderful_ as this has been, we do actually have business in town so, if you don't mind… we'll be going."

"Ah wait, wait, wait." Topa jumped in front of them and pushed something into Link's arms. "If you really need to go inside then at least take this. It'll at least keep people from recognizing you on sight." With that, Topa scurried off, ducking behind a nearby palm and then racing for the cover of the nearby bazaar stalls.

Link looked down at the bundle that had been thrown into his arms and opened it up, brow arched in curiosity. Inside was -oh. Oh. Dark was right, the man was completely crazy.

Speaking of. "Din dammit, he might of had a point." Dark pulled the hat from his head and ran a hand through his black hair. "Did the guy give you some new clothes?"

Not quite able to look away from what he was holding in his hands, Link nodded.

" _You think Link should wear a disguise?"_

Dark nodded. "Yeah, it might be a good idea. If we're going to be able to collect any whispers about the King Pig himself we can't be seen walking around with the Hero of Courage." He and Navi shared a nod. "At least this way we won't have to pay for new clothes."

Both turned to Link, faces expectant.

" _Well,"_ said Navi. _"What did he give you?"_

Link shook his head.

"Look, I know you're attached to green and all," said Dark. "But it can't be that bad." The shadow snatched the bundle out from Link's hands and shook the clothes out.

Navi's wings stalled and she landed on Dark's shoulder with a small thud. _"Huh."_

Dark's face was blank as he looked between the clothes in his hands and Link's quickly reddening face. "He-" he started, voice strained and high-pitched. "He's knows your a guy, right?"

Link's head dropped. He honestly wasn't sure at this point.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hello and welcome to Kachoo Inn! Can I get a room for the bright couple?"

Dark strained a smile as he meet the Gerudo innkeeper's grin. He could all but feel Link squirming in discomfort behind him and _dammit,_ didn't he know that only made him seem more like a girl?

"Ah, yes if you don't mind." Slinging an arm around the bare shoulders of his reincarnation, Dark hauled Link forward to stand beside him. "And this is my cousin actually, Aryll. So we'll take a two bed, if you don't mind."

"Oh!" The innkeeper's cheeks flushed and she rushed about for an appropriate room key. "Of course, here you two go." Link accepted the brass key all but thrust into his hands with a shy smile made all the more coy by the thin blue veil that shadowed the lower half of his face.

"Thanks a bunch. Come on, Aryll." Dark herded his _cousin_ around the corner and down the hall to the corresponding room where they dumped their belongings. Or to be more precise, Dark dumped the two large packs he'd been forced to carry to avoid irritating the cherry red sunburn running up and down Link's arms and back.

Link on the other hand, was eyeing himself in the room's mirror and looking more and more distressed as time passed. The blond made a helpless sound as he took in how the loose-fitting top and sirwal pants hid his more masculine physique to create the illusion of a cute -if petite- Hylian woman. Dark watched his double assess his appearance with a frown.

"We're going to need salve for those burns or you're going to be in a world of hurt tomorrow."

Link blinked and shifted his attention from the way his veil hid the shape of his jaw down to the peeling skin of his arms.

" _It's going to be night soon. If we want to get supplies before tomorrow we should go now."_ Navi poked her head out from where she'd hid herself in the folds of Dark's tunic. He supposed he should count himself lucky. For whatever reason, his own skin had been unaffected by the desert sun. And without Link's coloring, he could pass for any other wandering Hylian, if an odd one. In fact, besides Topa at the entrance, no one had looked twice at his eyes. It was a nice change.

"Sounds good." Dark held still as Navi relocated to a place on his shoulder. "Link, maybe you and Navi should stay here. I'll get a lay out of the place and see if I can't find some stuff for your burns." Dark stripped out of the layers of his clothing, abandoning his under tunic and chain mail and replacing only his thinner black tunic. His hat too, he left where it had been tucked away in his pack.

Link made a sound like a frustrated huff, but didn't move from his spot on the opposite bed as Dark laid out his weapons, pausing briefly with his black master sword, before laying that down too. When he was sure there was nothing left on his person carrying any part of the Hylian crest, he nodded. Dark looked over and met the serious blue stare of Link's eyes.

"I'll be back soon. Promise."

Link's returning nod was solemn but trusting, and Dark felt something in his chest swell with pride.

" _Wait, why can't I come?"_ Navi drifted over to settle on Link's knee and crossed her arms up at Dark.

"Because someone needs to stay here with Link. That way you can come get me if something goes wrong." Because according to Topa, Link was not welcome here. And even with a disguise so surprisingly effective, Dark didn't want to take the risk of announcing the Hero of Hyrule's presence to all of Gerudo Desert until he could see just how serious the threat was.

Navi sighed and dropped to a sitting position, kicking her legs against Link's shin as she did so. _"Fine. But you'd better be back before it gets dark."_ Link nodded along with Navi.

Dark grinned, baring his teeth, and gave the two a lazy salute. "Promise."

Excitement at exploring a new place notwithstanding, Dark felt a bit naked without his weapons. His back especially, felt exposed, and he kicked his heel to reassure himself that the knife he kept tucked in his boot was still there. Even so, Kara Kara Bazaar was amazing. The blazing orange and red of the desert was broken up by the brightly colored goods being sold by street vendors and stalls kept open to the air rather than tucked away in individual shops like in markets near Castle Town.

And the people! Gerudo and Hylians alike wandered the streets without thinking twice, and Dark was even surprised to see the odd Goron here and there, either going about their business at a stall or rolling along the street. Dark grinned, remembering his own brief excursion to the Goron City of his time.

"Hey!" he waved to a tall Gerudo woman carrying a polished spear across her back who was discussing something with a Goron. The rock-like being was waving his hands wildly, while the Gerudo stood stiff and still, arms crossed and a tight frown set on her thin face. Both looked up from their conversation as Dark called out to them. The Goron broke out in a smile and waved back.

"Hello there, little stranger!" Dark scowled at 'little' but supposed it was fair considering the Goron had a full head on him, not to mention the towering Gerudo, who gave him a polite nod but said nothing more. "Can I help you?"

Dark chuckled and scratched at the hair on the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry to interrupt. It's just, I'm new here, and my cousin needs some burn cream. Do you know where I can find some?"

The Goron cocked his head, confusion etched into the pebbles on his face. "Burn cream?"

"Hmph," the Gerudo huffed, an amused smirk twitching on her lips. "Hylians," she shook her head. "Yes, there is a stall near the well that sells something of that nature. Is your cousin fresh from Hylia?"

Link nodded. "Yeah, didn't realize the sun would be so bad for her."

The Goron's face took on an edge of concern. "Is she alright? Is sunburn so bad?" Dark should have supposed someone made of rock who lived in a desert wouldn't be familiar with it.

The Gerudo brought her fist down on the Gerudo's head hard enough to send pebbles flying, but the rock man didn't seem to feel it much. "Silly," she said. "Hylians are creatures of the forest and plains, they do not take to the desert as we do."

"Oh."

With a flick of her free hand, the Gerudo brushed aside the long tail of her red hair over her shoulder and shifted her focus to Dark. "Do you have word of the Hylian Kingdom? Did you and your cousin flee here?"

"Flee?" Dark blinked. "No, she just came here to live with me."

"I see." The Gerudo tapped a finger against her lips. "In that case send my regards to your cousin and hope for her swift recovery. It is not often we are able to welcome such tolerant Hylians."

"Tolerant?" Dark wanted to ask for clarification, but the Gerudo had turned away and seemed to dismiss him entirely in favor of returning to her discussion with the Goron. So instead, Dark decided to follow her advice and made his way towards where he guessed the well for the oasis might be located.

He found it fast enough, and after a brief exchange of rupees with a stall vendor, was able to get his hands on a small jar of burn cream that seemed to be made especially for Hylians living in desert climates. "Nice," Dark tossed the jar in his hand once and pocketed it before taking a quick seat on the lip of the well.

No one paid him much mind, and Dark watched the comings and goings of the passing Hylians and Gerudo with growing fascination. Everyone looked so lively and happy, it was strange to think that he'd come there to find the King of Evil. Or at least to get word of him. A Hylian man with skin almost as dark as a Gerudo passed the well and offered Dark a smile and a wave as he went. Dark waved back, his head spinning. Topa must have really been insane, these people were the friendliest he'd ever met even in _his_ time!

Overcome by an urge to explore, Dark jumped from the well and allowed himself to get lost in the array of stalls and sun-bleached buildings of the bazaar. Several of the vendors made overtures to try and get him to purchase one thing or another, including a particularly insistent banana salesman, but Dark just smiled to each of them and shook his head. That said, he did spend a few rupees on a bundle of dried lizard meat that was said to provide some heat resistance.

Dark tucked the wrapped jerky into his pack and wandered a bit farther until he found himself on the far side of the bazaar, where he spied two Gerudo soldiers speaking to a Hylian with some urgency. Curious, he wandered closer and pretended to be engrossed by the array of masks another stall was selling while he listened in.

"You're sure of what you saw?" one of the Gerudo asked.

"I am." Out of the corner of his eye Dark saw the Hylian bob his head. "The Hylian army was gathering its forces."

One of the Gerudo tsked. "This could mean trouble. Abuna," she said. "Go tell Chief Naifigi." The other Gerudo nodded and sprinted off, disappearing into the bustle of Kara Kara before Dark could make out which direction she was headed.

"Interested in anything?"

Dark blinked and looked up to the Hylian behind the mask stall. "Oh uh, just browsing. Sorry." The mask salesman's happy smile didn't falter. It was a bit creepy if you asked Dark.

"No worries, take your time."

He returned a weak grin. "Right, thanks." Turning his attention back to the Gerudo and Hylian, Dark tuned back into their conversation.

"What if they come here?" the Hylian was asking.

The Gerudo huffed and brought the end of her spear down in the sand. "They wouldn't dare," she said. "But don't worry, Gerudo Town and its allies will send help if conflict becomes inevitable."

The Hylian's shoulders sagged. "Good. I was just," he wrung his hands together and stared down at the ground. "I brought my family here so they would be safe."

"And they will be," the Gerudo placed her hand on the Hylian's shoulder. "Our warriors have faced down hunger-crazed molduga. The soldiers of Hyrule are nothing in comparison."

Dark's eyes narrowed. Was Zelda sending soldiers into the Gerudo desert? He thought she was conserving the kingdom's strength for Ganondorf. He supposed there could be another explanation, but it didn't sit right that so many people in Kara Kara assumed Hylians were fleeing _to_ the desert. One would think it would be the other way around.

"Is something wrong, mister?" the happy mask salesman asked him.

"Oh, just wondering. I'm kind of new, could you tell me why everyone here's so scared of Hyrule?"

The salesman's head canted to the side. "You mean the Kingdom of Hylia?"

"Um, yes?"

The salesman tapped his chin in thought. "Well it probably has to do with what happened in Kakariko."

A furrow formed on Dark's forehead. "You mean the Sheikah village that died out?"

"Died out?" The salesman laughed though the tilt in his eyes shifted from mirth to sadness. Even his smile looked even less genuine than it had a moment ago. "Sonny, the Sheikah didn't die out, they were massacred."

"... what?"

"Didn't you know? I thought all the Hylians living here knew the story." The mask salesman kept talking but Dark was having trouble focusing. "Most of the Hylians living in the Gerudo Desert came here after fleeing Kakariko."

Despite the comfortable warmth of the desert air, Dark felt ice in his veins. "That… I didn't know. Why?"

A shrug. "Din knows why King Rhoam made the decisions he did, but that was the start of it. And the Princess hasn't done much to make amends."

"Zelda?"

"She and her precious _knight_." A new voice spoke up from behind and Dark jumped and turned to see that the Gerudo soldier had approached them. The Hylian she'd been speaking to was nowhere to be seen. She smiled down at Dark. "My name is Renoge," she said, offering him her hand.

"Dark." He accepted and they shook.

"If you're not from Kara Kara, where do you come from?"

Dark shrugged. "I came her with my cousin. Before that I guess you could say I lived somewhere we didn't get a lot of information about what was going on in the world." It was pretty much true. The Water Temple hadn't given him a play-through of world events while he'd been trapped there. "But what's wrong with Princess Zelda and her knight? Link's the Hero of Courage, isn't he?"

Renoge huffed and turned her nose up at him. "Hero of Courage, Champion of Hyrule, Farore's Chosen, he has so many titles it's hard to keep track. But he is no hero of ours."

"Why?"

"It's just like she said," said the mask salesman. "He is the Champion of Hyrule, but not once has he helped any of the Kingdoms outside of Hylia."

Dark started, that was right wasn't it? Link had made it clear he'd never really left the areas outside of and surrounding Hyrule Castle.

"Surely you must have noticed," said Renoge. "A year or two ago, the blood moon reemerged. And monster attacks multiplied dozens of times over." She tightened the grip on her spear and a look of grief passed over her face. "Many Gerudo villages across the desert were wiped out. Our Chief Naifigi sent word to the Princess asking for her to send the Hero of Courage to help us-"

"But she said no." Dark didn't need to hear Renoge say it to know what happened.

Renoge nodded. "After our sisters in Palu village were killed by hordes of undead creatures, we were forced to seek aide elsewhere."

Dark tensed but didn't ask. Ganondorf, it had to be. He _was_ a Gerudo, not to mention that those were his monsters attacking the Gerudo villages. He could call them off the minute the Gerudo sided themselves with him. Dark wanted to be angry, but found the emotion elusive. It made sense, that if they became desperate the Gerudo would do whatever it took to survive. Even if that made Princess Zelda an enemy by default. Like Renoge had said, Zelda hadn't done much to endear herself or give the Gerudo any reason not to mark her as an enemy.

Dark's heart hurt. He _liked_ this place and the people in it. He didn't want to go back to Kachoo Inn and have to tell Link that they'd found their first solid lead to figuring out what Ganondorf had planned. If anything, the anger he thought should have been reserved for the King of Evil and his followers he was surprised to find, had slunk its way over to King Rhoam and even a little bit to Zelda. A bitterness that their selfishness had made enemies of these people.

And that didn't even touch the revelations about Kakariko and the Sheikah.

Before moving forward. Before _anything,_ Dark was going back to Hyrule Castle and getting answers from the Princess.

"Thanks for telling me all this," said Dark.

The Gerudo nodded. "It is no trouble. Let me be the first to welcome you and your cousin to the Gerudo Desert. We are honored to welcome a direct descendant of a Kakariko survivor." Dark was about to say something, but stopped when Renoge lifted her hand to the side of his face, her fingers brushing the corner of his eyes.

Red eyes, of course. She thought he was a Sheikah too. But for the first time, Dark didn't feel like correcting her, and let the comment pass with a polite nod.

He left after that, racing the sky which was beginning to turn red with the onset of twilight. He'd ended up spending far more time wandering the bazaar and speaking to Renoge and the happy mask salesman than he'd intended and he needed to make it back to the inn before Link and Navi got too worried. Speaking of Link-

Dark slowed his jog and came to a stop outside the entrance to Kachoo Inn. He wasn't sure what to tell his reincarnation, or even how much of it Link knew. Sparing the time to take a fortifying breath, Dark forged ahead, nodding to the innkeeper before ducking around the corner and into their room.

" _Dark, you're back!"_ Navi bobbed up and down from where she fluttered near Link's bedside.

"Hey guys."

Link sat up from the bed, veiled outfit still in place. He flinched as the movement irritated his burns and Dark dug through his pack to reveal the burn cream. "Look what I found?" Link let the air out of his mouth in a grateful huff and carefully peeled the top and veil of his outfit off to give Dark access to his bare back.

Dark winced as he took it the horrible peeling and cherry red burns. "Here's hoping this works," he said, scooping a handful of pale cream from the jar and touching it to the back of Link's neck. The blond's shoulders tensed at the contact, but then eased as the cool solution sank into the skin. Link sighed and made a motion with his hand for Dark to continue.

" _Looks like the Gerudo know their stuff,"_ said Navi. She perched on Dark's shoulder to watch as he made his way down Link's spine and then across his shoulders.

"I bought this from a Hylian actually. I don't think the Gerudo burn as easily as Hylians do."

Link twitched his head curiously, but it was Navi who asked, _"Hylians? I didn't think there would be many besides Topa here."_

Dark shrugged and tried to keep his expression neutral. "Turns out there's quite a few. I asked around, it sounded like there was a group of them that came here after," he paused but when neither Link or Navi reacted like they knew where this was going, went on. "After the people of Kakariko were massacred."

Link did stiffen then, and Dark saw the hands at his side ball into fists. On his shoulder, Navi went still.

" _Oh."_

"Yeah," Dark let out a bitter laugh as he slathered another layer of burn cream on Link's neck, just under the hairline. "Know anything about that, Link?" Without really noticing, Dark's nails had curved around to press just a bit into the hero's skin. Not quite a threat, but a clear sign of the agitation burning under Dark's control.

" _Dark,"_ Navi might have wanted to say something, but Dark continued without giving her a chance.

"Anyway, I found a Gerudo willing to talk to me because she thought I was the kid of one of the survivors or something," he said. "You know, red eyes." Dark finished up applying the burn cream and set the jar aside. Then he wandered over to a basin of water that had been left for them and rinsed his hands clean. When he turned back around, it was to see Link staring blank outside the window into the darkening desert sky. Navi was standing on the bed cover beside him, eyes flitting between Link and Dark with nervous speed.

"Do you want to know what she said?"

Link turned his head to meet Dark's eyes, and the shadow found himself feeling a bit of satisfaction in the shame he found there. He crossed his arms.

"She told me that when the blood moons started up again the Gerudo were forced to ally with someone else because _you_ wouldn't help them."

Navi's cheeks puffed. _"You don't think Link wanted to help? Zelda said-"_

Dark rounded on the fairy, red eyes flaring. "Shut up, Navi!" Then he turned back to Link who was staring at what must have been a very interesting patch of wood on the ground. "So, I guess mission accomplished. I think we both know 'someone else' means Ganondorf."

Link continued to stare at the ground, though Dark was sure he could see wheels beginning to turn in the Hylian's head.

"What should we do? Try and get more information here, or go back and tell Zelda to go ahead and send in the troops?"

Still nothing.

"For Farore's sake, say something Link! I know you're not mute!"

Link gave a violent flinch and shook his head. He stood to his feet, met Dark's eyes, and made a helpless gesture with his hands.

"What? Wondering what else you could have done?"

Looking a bit offended by Dark's condescending tone, Link nodded.

"How about forgetting what Zelda said and going to help anyway? How about actually being the hero like you're supposed to be?"

Link huffed and, looking imperious despite wearing nothing but sirwal pants, stepped forward and jabbed his finger at Dark's chest.

Dark's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare."

Link's eyes widened as if to say, oh? You think you have any room to judge?

Dark snarled and shoved the hero back with both hands, uncaring if his fingers scratched against Link's sunburnt skin leaving violent red marks in their wake. "I was trapped in the Water Temple! If I was free like you there's no WAY I would have sat on my hands while people were being attacked by monsters!"

Navi was flying back and forth between them, trying to catch their attention and get them to stop, but neither of them seemed to notice or even hear her.

Link's lips twisted into a scowl and he pointed to the mirror hanging over the water basin and then to himself, eyebrow arched.

"Screw you." Dark plucked the jar of burn cream from the bed and flung it at the mirror, shattering it. Then he stomped over to the weapons he'd set aside that morning and replaced them back on his person. Once his pack was swung over his shoulder, Dark went for the door. "Go back to the Princess. I'll find Ganondorf and put a stop to this myself." He pulled the door open, only to come to a halt when something blue shot in front of him.

" _Dark, please. Just wait. I know you're mad right now, but we shouldn't split up."_

"Out of the way, Navi."

" _No! You idiot, it's not as simple as you think it is! It's not Link's fault!"_

Dark glared. "Don't try and absolve him. He had a choice."

" _Please, don't go."_

"No." If some part of Dark felt bad about making Navi beg, it was ruthlessly crushed under his weight of his anger and frustration. He elbowed past the fairy, not caring as the impact sent her tumbling. He slammed the door shut behind him and ignored the sounds coming from within as he snuck out one of the inn's back entrances and into the much cooler night.

 _Sitting snug between the leaves of a nearby palm tree, the singular eye of a keese zeroed in on a Hylian in black and squeaked in triumph. Bouncing in giddy anticipation, the monster fluttered away. Racing east to the ruins of what was once a Gerudo city where its master was sitting, soft violet robes fluttering in the wind._

 _The keese alighted on the mage's shoulder and delivered its news._

" _Oh? Well this is excellent then." The mage stood to his feet and summoned an ornate spear into his hands in a crackle of purple lightning._

 _The winds shifted._


	11. Chapter 11

In the end, Link's stubborn anger held out for all of five minutes before he found himself throwing his normal clothes back on, stuffing Navi under the safety of his hat, and rushing out the door in search of his wayward shadow. He grit his teeth. Under the tangle of his hair he could feel Navi's tiny body shake with the force of her hiccuping breaths.

With practiced control, Link pushed aside the itch in his palm that told him to draw his weapon. But still, whatever reasons he might of had to be angry, Dark had made Navi cry. In return Link would have to beat him up at least a little bit before they could move on and get down to business again.

Tiny hands gripped a lock of his hair. _"S-sorry, I'm distracting you aren't I?"_

Link shook his head and took a peek around the corner of the Inn to look for any nightcrawlers. The street seemed empty though, so he continued forward, sticking to the shadows to hopefully avoid being spotted before he came across Dark.

" _He was just… so mean. Acting all high and mighty like he would have been any different."_

Link hummed but didn't give any more indication of his response. Navi had a point to be sure, Dark had nowhere near all the information about how things had been back then. Not to mention that Link had been little more than a child at the time. Princess Zelda may have given the order for Link to remain in Hyrule, but King Rhoam had still been the power behind the throne.

That said-

Link stopped at the base of a towering palm and looked upward. A patch of darkness, out of place from the rest of the palm leaves, stuck out and remained in place even against the desert winds. With a quick glance to the surroundings and a fortifying sigh, Link placed his palm against the trunk to announce his presence.

Above him the leaves rustled, but since nothing and no one came down on his head, Link took that as permission to stay and sunk down to the ground. He waited, but he got no response from the shadow above as he rested his back against the tall trunk. That was fine though, he was fairly confident that between the two of them Link had the far greater patience.

He cast his eyes around again. Kara Kara was surprisingly deserted at night. It was odd, despite also being incredibly convenient. The desert was far cooler at night, and Link would have thought the inhabitants would take full advantage to go about their business in a more comfortable climate.

"If you're looking for an apology, you're not going to get one."

Ah, there he was. Link allowed himself a quiet smile since Dark couldn't see from up above.

"And if you're here to apologize, sorry but I'm not taking any silent ones. Either man up and talk or go away, I'm busy."

Rude. Link huffed and crossed his arms. Navi had cried herself to sleep at some point, so her speaking on his behalf as she usually did was out. Though, Link doubted Dark would have accepted it regardless. Link lifted his hand and rapped a knuckle against the wood of the palm. Once and then again twice in quick succession. When after three full minutes there was no reaction from Dark, he did it again.

Another moment passed and then he could hear Dark make a frustrated sound and the leaves above him rustled. " _What?"_ Gleaming red eyes appeared through the fronds above and Link counted it as a victory. He stood to his feet and with quick, practiced movements began dragging his boot through the sand.

The message was short but clear.

'Not Sorry'

Dark snarled and disappeared from view yet again. Link barely had time to dodge the coconut that came flying down towards his head.

Mean-spirited indeed.

"Then why are you even here. I already told you, just go back to Zelda. You obviously don't care about the people here, so don't bother pretending."

A low note rang through the air and Link recognized it immediately as Dark's ocarina, though he did not know the tune. It wasn't one of the few songs Dark had played for him before, and the mood of it managed to be both sad and spiteful. The notes themselves rang with melancholy, but the melody together was quick and stubborn, as if the song refused to be bogged down with undue sorrow.

Link supposed it was Dark's way of making it clear he wasn't going to let this turn into a full blown conversation. That he would not look down again for Link to give him a response or explain himself.

It wasn't that he didn't care though, Link thought. Looking around he felt a swell of fond appreciation for just how different life in the desert was from the Hyrule he knew, even from just the little he'd seen from the window of their room in the inn.

 _I'm just not as free to act without fear of consequence as you._

As much as Dark might believe that it was as simple as ignoring Zelda's order, Link could not agree. Link was raised and trained as a knight of Hyrule. He understood the importance of the chain of command. As Zelda's close confidant, he understood that there was a delicacy to political action that was beyond his ability to navigate safely. He needed to trust Zelda to direct him wisely.

But that was thinking several steps ahead. In the simplest fashion, Link couldn't afford to be killed in some border skirmish in the Gerudo Kingdom. He had a duty to defeat Ganondorf. His life was not his own to throw away for whatever cause he chose. If at all, it had to be for the greater good.

That was the burden of being the Hero.

Link remained standing but let himself lean back against the palm again and listen to Dark's song. He had to admit, the shadow really was talented. And in something Link had no skill for, which was strange and fascinating in its own way. As he stared out into the night it made him wonder just how different the two of them could be, if push came to shove.

Then he saw a strange cloud in the distance.

Dark must have seen it in the same instance because the ocarina went silent not a moment later. Link's dark shadow dropped down beside him with a quiet thud. "Do you see that?"

He didn't point, but Link didn't need him to. He nodded and gestured towards a long vertical cloud that was making its way in increments across the flat horizon of sand in the southeast.

"Someone's moving quick."

From the maps he studied, Link approximated that the cloud was heading in the direction of the ruins of Palu. He flicked his eyes over to meet Dark's. The shadow met them narrowed, but with a determined nod.

"Let's go then."

It was simple work to sneak out of the village and follow the trail of the cloud. Whoever was kicking up that much sand either didn't care if they were followed, or were in too big a hurry to realize how obvious they were making their movements. Link didn't think the possibility of it being anyone inconsequential crossed either of their minds. Instinct was a powerful thing and Link's was screaming at him that the cloud carried malice in its wake. And he would bet Dark's was doing the exact same.

Over the better part of an hour the two of them closed most of the distance between Kara Kara Bazaar and Palu Wasteland. And just as they reached the first of the collapsed heaps and rubble, the source of the cloud came into view. A large, blue sand seal with gold ornaments decorating its tusks and hair, came to a halt near a small campfire, bringing a tall Gerudo woman to a stop behind it.

Bearing a long, decorative pike at her back, and wearing a gold and silver circlet on her brow, Link came to the sinking conclusion that it was most likely the Gerudo Chief herself. Naifigi. Behind her, two more sand seals arrived moments later with more Gerudo who must have been the chief's guards. One carried a curved sword and the other a bow.

Link clasped his shadow by the shoulder and tugged them both behind a nearby wall. Grateful that Dark went along without struggle, Link held a finger up to his lips and turned to peek over their small barricade.

"I do not appreciate being summoned like a common dog, mage." Naifigi had her arms crossed and her head tilted up in an imperious display. Link followed the direction of her focus to a figure seated in the shadows, but couldn't make out a clear identity. Behind him, Dark shifted closer.

"Careful, there's more of them." Dark pointed and Link shifted as directed in time to notice a pair of newcomers quite literally rolling in. Rounding the corner of a half-destroyed building, two Gorons tumbled into view.

"Hello, everyone." The rockmen came to a stop and waved at the other parties. Link wanted to wince at the way neither of them seemed to notice the tension in the air. "We've come on behalf of Boss Yundo. Nice to meet you all."

Naifigi inclined her head in a polite greeting while her two companions gave more formal bows. The two Gorons waved back, scratching their large stomachs and the backs of their necks in clear embarrassment of the formality.

In the shadows, the mystery figure tipped his hand but did nothing else to indicate any kind of interest in the others.

One of the Gorons whose rocky skin was made of darker tinted stone looked around and canted his head. "Where's the Yiga Clan?"

The bow-carrying Gerudo huffed and tossed her mane of red hair as she settled herself to leaning casually against a broken pillar. "Late, as always."

A giggle rippled through the night air. "Not late." A red flair appeared above the Gerudo's head and a pair of spindly legs dropped out of the darkness to kick at the stone above her. A lithe figure tumbled down and landed with a soft thud in the center of the group. Link recognized the red outfit and white mask immediately. "By my count we're right on time."

"That's a Yiga footsoldier," said Dark. "I've fought one of them before."

Link nodded with a low hum. He'd fought his fair number as well. While not always as skilled in combat as some of Hyrule's more elite knights, the Yiga Clan were notoriously wily. And their strange powers of teleportation made them impossible to track with any effectiveness.

"Icpi, don't be rude." Another Yiga announced their presence before stepping up beside the first. This one far taller and of much bulkier build than any Link had seen firsthand. The giant carried a wicked looking blade and Link supposed this must have been a blademaster.

The smaller Yiga shouldered their larger companion. "But Kokte, they were being mean."

A sigh from the taller. "The Master entrusted us with attending this meeting. Let's not let him down."

"Their master, huh?" Indeed, Link shared Dark's interest in the mysterious leader of the Yiga Clan. None of Zelda's spymasters had even managed to locate the Yiga Clan Hideout beyond a vague approximation. Anyone who got close never returned.

It seemed the two Yiga members were the last of the eccentric personalities to be accounted for because that was when the mystery figure stepped from the shadows. Soft violet hair that hung down well past the shoulders brushed against robes of an even deeper purple, adorning a man who for the most part looked Hylian, despite the unnatural aura that seemed to surround him.

Or at least, Link was pretty sure it was a man.

"He's awfully pretty, isn't he?" said Dark with a quiet snort.

Wasn't he?

"Thank you all for coming," the man swept his arms into formal bow. "And my master apologizes for the short notice."

A snort from Naifigi, but the others didn't respond. "Mage, care to tell us why we're all here."

The significantly shorter man didn't seem fazed by the Gerudo chief's demand, though his polite smile did stretch a bit. The black kohl lines under his eyes seemed to darken against his pale skin. "As I've told you repeatedly, Chief Naifigi. My name is Vaati."

"Answer the chief's question!" the guard carrying a sword demanded, moving a hand to the hilt of her blade. The bow-carrier too moved to grip her weapon. Link tensed, but Naifigi held up her arm to stop her companions.

Vaati smirked. "You'll have to forgive the inconvenience. But as I'm sure you know, all traps need a proper lure."

Traps?

"Lure? You mean us?" asked one of the Gorons.

The Yiga footsoldier skipped to the side of the rockman and draped an arm around his broad shoulders. "Why I believe he does." The Yiga cocked their head. "Question is, what's the mage trying to catch?" A shiver slid down Link's spine. He had a really bad feeling.

One of Dark's hands landed on his shoulder, and the shadow leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Wake, Navi. And get ready to run."

A nod. Dark was right, this was starting to look bad and they already had enough information. One of Ganondorf's servants, the Yiga Clan, the Gerudo, and the Goron, all working together. That was a formidable alliance in the face of the Hylian army standing alone, and the Princess needed to be told as soon as possible. Link could hear Dark shifting behind him, but ignored him for the time being to quietly slide a hand under his hat and shake Navi awake.

" _Link?"_ Link clapped his hand down around the fairy and pulled her free, only opening his hand enough so she could see him pressing a finger against his lips. _"Right."_ Navi nodded and fluttered up and into the safety of his tunic, careful to keep her glow to a minimum and remain silent. He would catch her up to speed later, for now they had to remain quiet.

" _I sense a lot of magic in him."_ Navi whispered into Link's ear and pointed at the purple-haired man who was speaking again.

"My master has taken an interest in a certain item he had presumed lost. It has been made my task to retrieve it." He plucked a bead, similar to the orb Link had found at the center of the fog over the River of the Dead, from his robes. It glowed an eerie red. "Once I got a taste of its essence, I tracked the item here." Link had seen that color before. He struggled to remember, but he was sure he'd seen the orb in his possession flash that same color.

When Dark-

"So what?" asked Naifigi. "You lost it playing in the sand?"

Vaati smirked, eyes gleaming. "Not exactly. Quite the opposite, really." A dark shadow passed over the gathering, crossing the path of the shrinking moon to come to to a stop over Vaati's shoulder. A keese. Vaati turned to the creature and stroked it under its giant eye. "Now pet, flush it out."

A squeak, and the keese lifted into the air. Then, a rushing sound like the crashing of waves started to grow in volume as the ground around them shuddered. "What is that?" demanded the larger, Yiga blademaster.

"A Molduga?" the bow-wielding Gerudo guessed, pulling her weapon free and stringing an arrow. But Naifigi shook her head.

Then, from all around them in a wide circle, a flock of keese burst from the ground. In a thick crowd of fluttering wings and near deafening screeches, the small monsters sent the whole assembly stumbling in shock. On his shoulder, Navi flung herself against Link's neck and screamed. Hundreds of eyes rounded on the Hylians' hiding spot.

"Thrice-dammit." Dark moved quicker than Link to react. Whether he came to the conclusion of what Vaati was after on his own or simply knew they had to act fast if they wanted to escape, he pushed Link aside, shoving his hand deep into the pouch at his hip to pull free what looked like… nuts?

"Close your eyes."

That was the only warning Link got before Dark flung the nuts into the crowd gathered at the center of the ring of keese. The nuts landed, one at Vaati's feet and the other beside the three Gerudo, and then exploded in a flash of light that nearly blinded Link, even with an arm flung over his face.

" _What in the Goddesses' names?"_ Link clutched Navi to his chest as the poor fairy rubbed at her stunned eyes, but didn't have time to fully check on her. The nuts must have been something like the bombs Link himself carried in his own pack. But these clearly were meant more to blind than destroy. Useful.

"This way, come on." A hand gripped his wrist, and Link was pulled forward as he tried to blink the spots away from his vision. A pair of rope chords were pressed into his hands and he recognized the sight of one of the Gerudo's sand seals before him.

"What's happening?" he heard a Goron say.

"Spies!" The sword-carrier shouted, unsheathing her weapon even as she fumbled around blind. "Stop them!"

"Get moving!" Dark was sprinting away towards another of the seals and Link waited only long enough to watch his shadow duck under the wild the swing of the blind Gerudo before snapping the reins in his hands and directing the seal in the direction of Kara Kara.

Taking a page from Dark, Link pulled out one of his own bombs and flung it at the flock of keese. It exploded in a spray of sand and fire and the monsters scattered, providing an opening large enough for Link to slip through. Behind him, he heard Dark urge his own seal to follow.

Link turned his head to try and spot the other Hylian, and was relieved to see Dark closing the distance between them, red eyes gleaming and a wide grin stretched across his face.

That was when the first rock came hurtling in their direction. Link swerved out of the way, hunching his shoulders as a spray of sand pelted him across the back. It must have been the Goron. Link chanced a glance backwards again and watched Dark dodge one of his own boulders before Link had to pull back hard on his reins to avoid another rock about to come down on his sand seal's head.

Link heard Dark snap his reins before the shadow called out to him. "We're about to have company!"

"Nemeos, after them!" Naifigi had her pike in hand but it was the sword-wielder who snatched the last of the seals and took off after the pair of Hylians. Without the rocks flinging in her direction or the keese as a roadblock she closed the distance between her and Dark quickly. There was a sound of singing metal and then Link could hear as the two crossed blades.

Navi fluttered into sight. _"We need to go back and help them."_

Link nodded and prepared to circle around when he caught a flash of red. Masked by a hiss of sparks, the Yiga footsoldier appeared in a cackle of laughter and swinging a scythe in a wide arc towards Link's neck.

" _Look out!"_ He ducked under the blade, feeling a rush of air where the scythe nearly took off the tip of his right ear. A relieved sigh began to make its way out of his mouth, but was replaced a whoosh of escaping air as the Yiga adapted to the missed swing and twisted. Suddenly there was a leg swinging through the air that caught Link under the arms and across the chest.

The chords ripped from Link's hands and he landed on the ground hard, sand kicking up in his wake and leaving him stunned. Shining bright and blue, Navi bobbed in his spinning vision, but shrieked and dived away as the Yiga stood over him.

"Ah!" the footsoldier practically shook with glee. "It's him! It's the Hero of Courage!" Another laugh and raised a knife in their free hand. "Master Kohga will be so proud of me!"

Not good. Not good, not good. Link could barely breath and the master sword was still sheathed and pinned between his back and the ground beneath him. He struggled up to his elbows and tried to reach back, but the Yiga brought their foot down on his chest and pushed him flat. Link fell with a breathless cough.

"Get away from him!" Out of nowhere the second sand seal came rushing past and suddenly Dark was flinging himself through the air and tackling the footsoldier. The pair rolled away in a tangle of black and red.

Navi tugged at his ear. _"Link, get up!"_ He didn't need to be told twice. The Gerudo with the sword was coming up fast, looking a little worse for wear with the cut across her left arm and red hair now at least a foot shorter than Link remembered. Her eyes were trained on Dark with a rabid fury but as soon as Link stepped into her path she snarled.

Link drew the master sword and met hers head-on. They locked weapons and the Gerudo jumped from her sand seal. She was good, and her height and reach did give her an advantage, but Link wasn't the princess' appointed knight for no reason. He disarmed her in three strikes and sent the fourth through her midsection, impaling the Gerudo between navel and sternum as she gagged on blood.

He ignored the pang of regret that settled in his chest as he let the woman fall and slide free of the master sword in favor of turning to check on Dark. He could see the sand seals circling in the distance, eager to return for their riders while the Yiga and his shadow struggled on the ground. They'd long since abandoned conventional attacks and were simply wrestling on the ground, trying to reach for the weapons that had scattered around them. Link was about to rush over and help, but Dark managed to get the upper hand, snatching his black sword from where it had fallen in the sand and slitting the Yiga's throat. The footsoldier went lax and collapsed on top of him and Link helped to shove the limp body off. He offered his hand, more relieved than he'd admit when Dark accepted it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.

"Thanks." Link huffed in return. Both assailants dealt with, they turned back to where the conspirators had gathered. The two Goron were rolling towards them, but were still some distance away, while the other Gerudo and the Yiga Blademaster were nowhere to be seen. Vaati, Link presumed, was somewhere hidden by the cloud of keese that had yet to disperse from the Palu ruins. Dark leaned in closer. "We need to get out of here."

Link nodded. He turned and lifted a hand to his lips, intent to whistle for the circling sand seals to return when he caught Dark's red eyes widen in mute horror at something Link couldn't see. Something behind his back.

"Get down!" Suddenly Dark was diving towards him, grasping his arms and shoving as a crisp whistle of gale-force winds ripped through the air. Without the time to brace himself, Link was thrown back, unable to do anything but watch as a decorative, silver spear came slicing through the air only to make a sudden stop. Blood splashed across Link's face in hot droplets, and as he landed on the ground Dark collapsed as well, face lax and the spear impaled through his chest.

Navi wailed from the safety of his tunic, and Link supposed that masked the sound of his own shocked cry.


	12. Chapter 12

The pain was only delayed long enough for Dark to watch the barbed speartip pierce the center of his chest. Then it hit him like a horse at full tilt. His shredded lungs smothered the sounds of his pain, but Dark could feel the damage like fire along his spine and ice dripping down the front of his tunic. Suddenly the world turned horizontal and he pulled his eyes away from the haze of red and silver to see Link reaching out for him, horror on his face.

"Aw, how disappointing. I missed."

A muted blow struck him beneath his wound and sent Dark tumbling out of his reincarnation's reach. More pain rushed him and a gush of wetness nearly choked him on its way out of his throat and down his chin.

 _L-Link._ He could make out the sorcerer, the purple-haired freak who must have been the one to throw the spear. From the roar of high-pitched chittering in the air, the keese flock must have been lingering somewhere above. The mage stepped into the space between where Dark was laying and Link had managed to reclaim his footing. The blond Hylian had the master sword in hand, but the tinted blade was shaking ever so slightly as Link's whole body trembled. With fear, or anger, Dark wasn't sure.

" _Dark! Dark, can you hear me? Stay with me!"_ Small hands slapped at Dark's cheeks and he noticed a blue light glowing in his periphery.

Beyond, the mage turned in their direction. "A fairy? How disgusting." He waved a robed arm and, with a pitched shriek Navi went flying up and away. Link made a wordless sound of rage and rushed him, swinging the master sword to split the other man in two.

 _Idiot._ Even Dark could see it wasn't going to work. Keese flooded the space between them, buffeting Link away and giving Vaati ample opportunity to step back until he was standing directly above Dark. Empty, purple eyes stared down at him and smiled.

Link grunted and cut down the nearest three of the flying monsters before jumping away. He pulled a small bomb from his pouch and flung it, killing or scattering what remained of the flock. Space cleared, Link seemed to compose himself and stepped forward, eyes drifting to Dark for a moment before leveling on Vaati. Link raised his sword.

"Vaati!" A deep voice called out and the two Gorons tumbled into view. They uncurled from their travelling posture and stood ready to brawl. Link grimaced and shifted his stance to keep all his enemies in view. One hand reached up to finger the shield at his back.

The purple mage lifted a hand. "Leave it," he said. "Go back to Yundo and tell him, Lord Ganondorf will send his instructions soon." The Goron hesitated for a moment, glancing between the Hylians with confusion, before nodding and rolling away without another word. Link arched a brow.

"Surprised I sent them away?" asked Vaati. He reached down and suddenly Dark could scream again. The spear through his chest shifted as Vaati gripped the shaft and tugged. Something in the positioning allowed air to travel through his lungs and vocalize the pain as his face was pressed into the ground. Vaati chuckled and tapped his fingers along the spear shaft, twisting and turning but not pulling the spear all the way free. Vaati canted his head and grinned. "Those two would be wholly unnecessary. You don't seem like nearly as much of a threat as I was lead to believe."

Link hissed under his breath and shifted to a two-handed stance. Dark struggled to keep him in focus, but found his vision clouding with darkness over and over as Vaati kept introducing new angles for pain. Honestly, he was amazed and horrified that he hadn't died, or at least lost consciousness yet.

"You know, I was only sent here for this," Vaati nudged one of Dark's legs with a booted heel. "But who could resist taking a shot with the one and only Hero of Courage standing right there?" Link's hard expression faltered for a moment, but composed itself before the mage continued. "Still, I do have a job to complete and your life _is_ Lord Ganondorf's to take, not mine."

Enough. "W-what?" asked Dark between clenched teeth. Vaati had finally stopped moving the spear and relieved him of pain enough to speak.

As if he'd not spoken at all, Vaati continued to address Link. "So, I offer you a deal. Allow me to take what is mine, and you can collect your fairy and retreat back to your princess. Sound fair?" With a last tug, the spear was pulled clear and free of Dark's chest, barbed end and all. With it, everything began to grow dark and cold.

Link gasped and started to run forward, only to be pushed back by a gale-force wind. "See? You stand no chance." Dark could _hear_ Vaati's smirk. "So, run."

The black clouds in his vision were becoming so thick Dark couldn't make out Link's expression, but he was overcome by a rush of guilt and disappointment. In himself, in Link, in the Goddesses themselves.

 _He won't run,_ he thought to himself. _Because I wouldn't._ And they were, after all, deep down one and the same.

The world was lost to the abyss, and then, so was Dark.

He was laying in something cold and wet. Dark felt his fingers twitch and then his nose wrinkled at a cloying smell of smoke and pitch. He opened his eyes to a fog-obscured view of a night sky and high, towering walls of desert stone. Underneath the shallow layer of liquid he was laying in, Dark's fingers brushed sand.

"Link," Dark moved to stand and was shocked to discover himself pain free as he shifted to a seated position and then to his feet. Confused and somewhat alarmed, he tugged on the layers of his tunic until he could peel the black fabric up and see the flat plane of his stomach. Pale, smooth, and completely unmarred. "What in Farore's name?" Finally of mind to take in his surroundings, Dark glanced around to find himself standing between two towering stone walls, each running hundreds of meters in either direction before branching into different paths. Like the beginnings of a giant maze. Dark turned to get a better view and nearly slipped as his feet squelched on whatever he had been laying in. He looked down to see his boots covered in some kind of reddish-black liquid, thick like sap and evaporating in small, glowing red orbs. "What?"

"You survived." Wind tugged at Dark's hair and he spun in its direction to see Vaati appear out of nothing. "How nice."

"You!" Dark retreated several steps and reached for his sword, only to find the weapon gone from his back, along with everything else. Weaponless and all but helpless, Dark balled his hands into fists and snarled. "Where's Link?"

Vaati tucked a strand of violet hair behind his ear and shrugged. "The hero? How should I know?" He turned his back and waved, as if for Dark to follow. "Come, our master is waiting."

"No way," Dark took another step back. "I'm not going anywhere with you." Confusion had Dark's already muddied thoughts spinning. His head ached and he didn't know what was going on or how he was supposed to fight Vaati's magic without his weapons. Panic had Dark's breathing ratcheting up a notch.

From several steps ahead, Vaati glanced back at him and sighed. "You may have your weapons back if you wish." Another wave of his arm and Dark's sword, shield, and pouch appeared resting against one of the walls. Vaati watched with blatant disinterest as Dark re-equipped himself and kept his sword and shield in hand. "Now come, Lord Ganondorf has been eager to get a proper look at you."

"The Pig?" he asked on instinct. But if Vaati took any offense on his master's behalf for the name, he didn't show it. The sorcerer just hummed and put his hand over a notch in the wall. Part of the stone that formed the towering walls around them shifted, sending up a puff of dirt and dust at Vaati's back. Then that entire portion of the wall slid back and began lowering itself into the ground. Once the opening fully cleared, Vaati stepped to the side and ushered Dark forward.

Dark took a deep breath and swallowed. He didn't know where Link was. If Link was even alive. And if the worst was true, that meant Dark might be the only one capable of stopping Ganon. And here was Vaati apparently giving him a free shot at the King of Evil? He didn't understand.

He stepped forward.

Whatever his reasons, surely Vaati wouldn't heal Dark of what had certainly been a lethal wound just to kill him. And if he really was going to lead him to Ganon, Dark wasn't going to get a better chance than this to take him out. A new feeling of anticipation began to well up. This was his chance, the one that had been stolen from him when he'd stepped foot under Lake Hylia.

A grin stretched on Dark's lips, and he stepped through the opening. Vaati followed him through, and the wall slid up behind him, closing the way. They emerged into a wider space, completely encircled by the same stone walls. There were no visible exits that Dark could see and besides himself and Vaati, only one other occupant.

A tall, towering man in armor of black and gold with shaggy red-orange hair and skin like moss stood with his back to them. Arms folded neatly behind his back, Ganondorf turned to face them and Dark was struck cold by the power and malice coming from him in waves.

"My lord." Vaati stepped forward, robes snapping with each step, and offered the Gerudo King a flourishing bow. "I've done as you requested."

Dark hadn't stopped his slow stalk towards Ganondorf from the moment he'd taken his fist step. His grip on his sword hilt was solid, and he kept his shield half lifted. Ready to shelter beneath it at the first sign of attack. But as the towering Gerudo stepped and pivoted into view, all resolve seemed to melt away from him like snow. He ended up an awkward third of the distance from the King of Evil as he had started from. Still, and unable to will himself forward.

"...Ganon," he couldn't seem to stop swallowing. "Ganondorf."

Five steps brought the man responsible for all that Dark had lost before him. And he lifted a simmering orange eyebrow in interest as he studied the small shadow. "Ah," he said, voice a deep rumble. "I remember you."

Mind and body finally re-synchronized and Dark snapped to attention. With a maddened cry he struck out with his shield, bashing the larger, older man back by several meters.

"My Lord!"

Ganondorf slid to a stop, still on his feet, and lifted a hand in silent command. Vaati growled but stayed put. Dark snarled and charged forward. He swung his black master sword, intent on severing Ganon's sword hand, only to come to a jolting halt as the Gerudo caught the blade in his palm. The topmost triangle of an inscribed Triforce shimmered gold on the back of the man's palm, and Dark only had a moment to consider the implications before the sword was being wrenched from his hand.

The King smiled at the look of slack disbelief Dark made before reaching for the Hylian with his free hand. "Amusing. But enough play, little shadow."

Dark ignored him and dove for the side, rolling in the hard-packed dirt and reaching for the knife Zelda had given him to tuck in his boot. He abandoned his shield, instead charging headlong and then evading as Ganon reached for him again. Driving the knife hilt-deep into the meat of the Gerudo's forearm, he pivoted and kicked hard against the back of Ganondorf's closest knee. The strike sent the larger man down with a tight grunt. Now exposed to Ganon's back, Dark wrenched his knife free and swung this time for the neck.

He could do it. Victory was so much in sight he could taste a liberation he had not even dreamed of since the first time he ventured out of Kakariko Village. "This is for Zelda."

 _Die._

Then Ganondorf laughed and Dark found from one instant to the next he was overcome with vertigo and the breath was stolen from his lungs. Instead of standing above, Ganon had him on the ground, mouth full of dirt, and a massive hand reaching through his hat and tangling into his hair.

Dark snarled and tried to rip free, but could do little more than writhe as the Gerudo above him continued to laugh. "This one has spirit," he said. He lifted Dark clear off the ground, holding him up to eye level where he dangled a meter in the air, forced to grip at Ganondorf's hand to keep his grip from tearing Dark's hair from his scalp. "I had nearly forgotten."

Dark spat in his face and kicked out. "Let me _go!_ "

To his immense surprise, Ganon complied, and Dark's unprepared legs collapsed beneath him as he met the ground. "To think you survived all this time. And I had thought you nothing but a failed experiment."

Limbs like jelly, Dark struggled to his feet. "What?"

"Well, I would say it is still an apt description," said Vaati, who skulked into view off Ganon's shoulder. "It did fail to kill the Hero of Courage as directed. And I even retrieved it following at Link's heels, like a pet."

Ganondorf straightened, wiped the spittle from his cheek, and scratched at his facial hair. "Errors that can be corrected. Right, little shadow?" He lowered the hand from his beard and reached out, as if to touch Dark's head.

Dark struck the hand away and backpedaled, eyes scanning the ground for his lost weapons. "My name is Dark."

"Hmm. Dark, then." Ganondorf nodded and gestured with his hand. "Come, we have much to do."

Dark's heel struck metal. "No." He shook his head and plucked his knife from the ground. "Stay away from me."

"Such a slow learner," Vaati sighed.

"You are amusing, Dark. But my patience grows thin." Ganon stepped forward and snatched Dark's wrist. His bones ground together and Dark let the knife drop as his nerves caught fire and his wrist snapped. Dark screamed and his legs gave out beneath him. "You were made to be my champion of shadow. You failed once, I will not allow you to do so again."

Dark groaned in pain. "So, it… it was you." He picked his head up enough to meet the King of Evil's eyes. "I-In the Water Temple."

Ganondorf grunted, and with one great heave, Dark was flung away and sent skidding across hard-packed dirt. "Obviously," he said. "And now, since you've proved yourself to be moderately capable, it is time to refine you into an even greater weapon."

Legs shaking and right arm cradled against his chest, Dark struggled back up to his feet. "I'll kill you," he said, swearing it to himself both within and without. "If it's the last thing I do, I will kill you."

Instead of Ganondorf this time it was Vaati who responded, at first with a laugh. "As if you could." A wave of the mage's hand and Dark was in the air yet again, knocked aside by an invisible hand and left once more in the dirt.

Lacking energy just then to stand, Dark instead turned his head to glower in the pair's general direction. "It's what I do, isn't it?" he said, a smile stretching on his face even as his body ached. He might not have any memory of his past reincarnations like Ganondorf, or strange intuitions and visions like Zelda, but he did know one thing. Something so core to _Link_ that it could transcend spirit and time. "I find a way."

Vaati looked ready to unleash another attack, but Ganon stopped him. "Enough." The sorcerer reined himself in, and with a look of utter disdain summoned up Dark's sword and shield and produced them for Ganon.

"My lord."

Ganondorf took the weapons and looked towards Dark. "Your bloodlust I admire, Dark, and it will serve me well. But you're still raw, willful, and untempered, and that makes you useless." He tossed the weapons so they landed within Dark's reach. "So, first we must correct that. Stand up."

Despite himself, Dark did as he was told. Hand mostly numb and grip loose he gingerly lifted his black master sword even as his wrist protested, and slung his shield up his left arm. Then, as if cued, partitions began opening in the stone walls surrounding them. Countless paths opening up, some of them with red skinned moblins or groups of bokoblins lurking behind.

"Oh, Goddesses," said Dark.

Ganondorf's booming laugh brought the Hylian's attention back around to see the Gerudo and Vaati hovering above him, kept aloft by what looked like a giant, black keese. "You will fight the creatures here until the next blood moon," said Ganon. "Or until you make it out of this labyrinth."

Dark grit his teeth and tried to get a better grip of his sword, only for his wrist to give and send the weapon scattering unceremoniously to the ground. There was no way he could fight with that kind of injury. He snarled up at the King of Evil. "If you want me dead, just kill me. Why the games?"

Ganondorf crossed his arms and smirked down at him. "No games, Dark. You'll live, of that I'm sure." He seemed to survey Dark's condition then shrugged. "In what state you'll be in, well… perhaps a touch of humility will curb that rebellious edge of yours." Then they were gone in a swirl of fog and wind, leaving Dark alone and surrounded by beasts that had finally taken notice of him.

Dark looked around, surrendering to his injury and slinging his shield onto his back so he could take up the black master sword in his left hand instead of his right. It felt uncomfortable and unfamiliar, and he doubted he would get very far fighting head on, but it was something. He scanned the new openings in the labyrinth walls and spotted one exit that seemed unoccupied.

Survival, that was the name of the game. He would make it out of this place and find out where in Din's damned name he was. Dark sprinted for the opening, dodging a spray of scattered arrows as a few bokoblins fired at him. He reached the opening before the first of the moblins managed to close the distance and rounded a corner in time to see the first of the giant monsters barrel right past him.

He could do this. He'd find some way to escape and find out what happened to Link. Then they'd defeat Ganondorf together, they had to.

Rounding as many right turns as he could, Dark tried to put as much distance between himself and his pursuers as possible, but around the fifth bend he was unlucky. Three startled, blue bokoblins jumped to attention as he crashed into them and immediately reached for their clubs. Panicked, Dark made a clumsy swing that took off one's hand, but left him open for attack. He took a wooden club to the side, air coming up short as he was sure at least a few of his ribs cracked. Thankfully though, the third attack struck the shield at his back and gave him enough time to lurch in their direction and retaliate. This time, he timed his swing and managed to decapitate the already injured bokoblin, and spear the second. The third, frightened after seeing his comrades killed, panicked and ran.

Safe for the moment, Dark sighed and let himself collapse beside the rapidly cooling bodies to his left and right. Air came in sluggish gulps, and despite having felt rejuvenated just an hour prior when he'd awoken in this strange place, he wasn't sure how to muster the strength to keep moving. Groaning, he drug himself forward with his good arm. He made it to the base of one towering wall and used it to brace himself up to a sitting position. Some distance away he could hear movement, most likely a moblin ambling not far away.

"Thrice damn it." He didn't want to have to use it, not when he had no idea how long he'd be stuck in this place, but it didn't look like he had much choice. Thankful that Vaati had returned his pouch, Dark fumbled through it with his good hand until his fingers closed around a slim vial. Bright red liquid greeted him as he lifted it up and uncorked it. Three potions, he estimated. He had three potions in his pouch, two once he used this one. He tipped his head back and swallowed the contents, sighing in relief as energy flooded his limbs and he felt his bones right themselves. From now on he'd have to be sparing and avoid injury for as long as he could.

Dark shoved himself up and started down the length of the wall. Just keep moving. He had to keep moving. Link was out there somewhere, probably hurt after fighting Vaati and looking for him.

Testing his renewed grip on the black master sword, Dark nodded to himself. "Just wait," he said. _I'm coming, Link._


	13. Chapter 13

It took them three days to make it back to the pass that would lead Link and Navi through Gerudo Canyon and into the territory of central Hyrule. Link gasped, stumbling with eyes half-shut against the glare of the desert sun and skin peeling from every inch of his exposed flesh as he tried not to focus on how thirsty he was. He was too tired to even curse himself in his own mind. They should have taken the risk and stopped at Kara Kara Bazaar. To resupply, to rest. But there had been too much risk, and Link had been in no fit state of mind to think their situation through clearly.

Every time he blinked, the sand beneath his feet appeared covered in blood. That was all that was driving him forward at this point. Visions of Dark's broken form disappearing in cyclone of sand and blood and the feel of Navi shuddering against his hair. Another day, at most, and they should reach the pass where they could rest and resupply at the Gerudo Canyon Stable. Two more on a fast horse, and he could reach Hyrule Castle and warn the Princess of all that he and Dark had uncovered.

Then, Link swore, he would go back for his shadow.

A stone caught the toe of one of his boots and Link stumbled, falling momentarily to one knee before fighting his way back up to his feet. He couldn't stop. If he did, he didn't think he would be able to find the strength to get back up again. Under his hat, Navi stirred.

" _Link, are you okay?"_

"Ah… uh-huh…" What was meant to be a reassuring hum came out a half-fueled wheeze that scraped the back of Link's dry throat. He could feel Navi moving to get out from under his hat and he came to a near stop and pulled the green fabric back down.

He shook his head. "Mm-nnn." Navi needed to stay as cool as possible. If the worst should happen and Link find himself unable to continue, it would be up to Navi to make the rest of the journey on her own and send help. To do that she needed to be fresh.

Only when Navi stopped struggling did Link pick up his pace again. Ahead, he could just begin to see the beginnings of the dark red stone that made up Gerudo Canyon, shimmering along the horizon. The Canyon and… something else.

A glare, brighter than most, had Link raising a hand to shield his vision as he tried to make out whatever it was that seemed to be heading in his direction. A mirage? No… Link forced himself to keep moving and train his eyes on the distant figures. An idle thought occurred that he should draw his weapon, in case Vaati had lied and sent some minions of Ganondorf to finish him off. But in truth, even if he had the sacred steel in hand, Link didn't think he was fit enough to fight a kitten at the moment let alone a desert monster.

"Ho, there!" The figure drew closer, and it became clear that it was not one, but three who approached, all wearing plated steel and astride armored horses. The closest of the three lifted an arm and called out again. "We approach under the banner of Hyrule!"

Link's knees went weak and he let himself sink into the sand in relief. Knights. They were Zelda's knights. He pulled the hat from his head for Navi to see and let his eyes slide shut.

" _Link! It's them!"_ He could feel the fairy take off from his hair but didn't bother to see where she flew off to. _"Zelda sent help!"_

He drifted off then, and time seemed to slip by until suddenly there were gauntleted hands on his arms and shoulders and a water pouch was being pressed to his lips.

Link drank greedily, arms pulling away from their support to snatch the jug of water away from the ones holding it out for him. A hand patted his back. "Easy now," someone said. "There's plenty where that came from." Link didn't answer other than to grunt and continue chugging his water. The voice of the knight continued. "We need to get him into some shade. Lukan! Get him up onto your horse, we'll make for the nearest stables!"

The water was gently pried from his hands the minute he stopped for breath and Link allowed himself to be maneuvered up and onto a horse. It was not Epona, and it was a tight fit once the knight reclaimed his seat behind Link, but it would do. Link found that he could let himself drift off yet again, and the knight would keep him horsed.

" _It's okay, Link. Sleep, we'll wake you once we get there."_ Link nodded, and let himself go.

" _WHAT!"_

Linked bolted upright, vaguely aware of the blanket that slid from his lap to the ground. Around him he saw that they had indeed made their way to one of the many scattered stables around Hyrule and that he'd been laid on a makeshift bed tucked into the back of the tented canopy. He could hear the chuffing of nearby horses and the bustle of stablehands who were carrying feed and water between pens. Somewhere outside, a dog was barking.

"Miss Navi, please calm down. I'm sure when he wakes Sir Link will-"

" _Don't Miss Navi, me!"_

Link flinched at his fairy partner's high pitched scream and sighed. He couldn't afford to spend more time than necessary resting anyways. Picking himself off the ground, Link left his weapons and gear where they had been piled for him beside his bed and went out in search of the knights who had found him. He didn't have to search far.

Standing in a tight ring just inside the opening of the tent -much to the distress of the nervous stable owner- the three knights stood shoulder to shoulder and seemed to be trying to convince Navi of something. The one in the center, held a rolled parchment in his hand that carried the Hylian crest.

The knight to the left, a woman with brown hair that fell out from under her helmet in a tight braid, noticed him first and shifted into a stiff salute. "Sir Link!"

He flinched at the formal address and raised his hand to wave it away, but couldn't before the other two were cued by their companion and followed suit.

"Sir Link!"

"Sir Link! A message for you from Princess Zelda!" The knight carrying the rolled message broke his salute first and handed the rolled paper to Link without a word.

Fluttering over to his shoulder, Navi huffed and crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently on his burned skin. Link cringed and waved her off. _"Oh,"_ she said. _"Sorry."_ He nodded, but hoped she wouldn't forget how sensitive he was going to be for a while. He really wished he still had Dark's burn cream.

Link broke the seal on the message and held it open for Navi to see as well. The tips of his ears burned as he tried to decipher the complicated terminology and high diction that Zelda couldn't help but use. He made an uncomfortable sound in the back of his throat. The knights were looking at him expectantly and he really didn't want to admit to them that he could barely understand half of what was written.

He wondered if Dark was the same way or if that, like the shadow's musical talent, was another way in which they differed.

Navi fluttered into view and gave Link a surreptitious nod. Link grunted and rolled the scroll back up, handing it back to the knights.

" _We can't just drop everything and go to Zora's Domain. We have information that needs to go back to Zelda right now!"_

Link tried to hide his expression, but couldn't stop his eyebrows from rising just a bit. Zora's Domain? So, he was being recalled. But by what wisdom of Nayru did the Princess need him there for?

The centermost knight made a sound of frustration and handed the message off to the female knight before turning back to Navi and Link. "Please, sir." The knight was at least five years older than Link, he really wished the man would stop calling him 'sir'. "As I'm sure you've read, the situation is urgent. Our relationship with the Zora is tenuous at best and they refuse to come to the table with the Princess unless you are present as well."

Link's eyes slid shut. The Hero of Courage, of course. Where else could his place be but at such a meeting? But still, there were things Zelda didn't know. Namely, the alliance forming under Ganondorf and Dark's capture. They needed to prioritize getting him back first.

Link made a vague gesture to the outline of his shadow and Navi nodded. _"We have to send a message to Hyrule Castle first. Our friend was caught by a group working for Ganon out in the desert and we need to gather a rescue party to get him back."_

The knights traded a grim look and the third knight, the one who had shared his horse with Link, spoke up. "I'm afraid the Princess has already departed for the Lanayru Wetlands. A message by hawk won't reach her before she arrives in Zora's Domain." The knight, Lukan, refused to meet his eyes. "Besides," he said. "Your friend is in all likelihood dead, Sir Link. The King of Evil has never been known for taking live prisoners."

The knight's words sent ice down Link's spine. Dead? No, Vaati had said something about being sent for Dark. Sent for implied some other use, not just to kill him, right? Link shook his head. What difference did it make? He didn't know where the sorcerer would have taken Dark and apparently there was no way for him to request permission for a rescue mission from Princess Zelda without first going to Zora's Domain. Easily a week's journey, possibly two with company. Link clenched his fists and stormed from the stables and back out into the desert sun. When the knights moved to follow, he cut them off with a sharp glare over the shoulder.

" _Hey, wait!"_

Navi followed him, but he didn't go far. Just enough that he couldn't hear the noise from the stable and no one inside would be able to see him. Then, he screamed. A low, frustrated cry that he followed up with throwing his fist against the steep rockface of the canyon. It hurt, but it was equally as satisfying watching the rock crack a bit under his fist. He punched it again. And again, and again. Shouting and screaming with each strike until small hands cupped his fist and begged him to stop.

" _Stop, please Link. You'll just hurt yourself."_ She was right. Link lowered his bloodied first and let his head drop against the rough stone. Out of his peripheral he eyed the sandy horizon.

It wasn't right. It just didn't sit to leave Dark alone out there somewhere with no plans to find him for weeks at the very least. He should have fought Vaati. Disadvantage be damned, he should have at least tried. What kind of hero gives up and runs?

Navi hugged one of his ears. _"You can't help anyone if your dead, Link. There was no choice, you did what you had to do."_

Choice, huh? Link huffed. Hadn't that been what Dark had said that night? He'd had a choice, to follow Zelda's orders or do what he thought was right. Now he had that impossible choice again.

" _She'll know what to do. We just need to trust Zelda."_

Link sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. That was right. Zelda was the one touched by Nayru. She held the Triforce of Wisdom. And Link's was not a life that could be ruled by the heart. His mission was more important than anything _he_ wanted. She would know what to do.

Summoning up what remained of his resolve, Link nodded. He lifted his hat and waited patiently for Navi to fly into the tangle of his hair before letting it drop back into place. Then he made his way back to the stables, delaying long enough to wash the blood from his fist in a water barrel before making his way inside. The knights were there waiting for him, horses saddled and Link's gear waiting for him on a fresh, spotted mare.

Lukan stepped forward and handed him the reins. "She's not Epona," he said. "But the stablemaster said she's the quickest, bravest philly he's got. She'll get us to Zora's Domain in no time." The young knight smiled, an encouraging thing, and Link mustered up a thankful nod before doing the same for the other two. Checking to see that the master sword was indeed secure in its sheath, Link swung himself up into the saddle and urged the mare outside. The other knights followed.

"I'll go on ahead," said Lukan. "And make sure the path is clear. "Rorah and Umo will stay with you and Navi."

Link nodded. It didn't really matter to him. So long as they were on their way as soon as possible. Lukan sped up into a gallop, disappearing around the bend of the canyon pass in just a few minutes. Link watched him go and spared a last glance towards the Gerudo Desert.

He wasn't giving up on Dark, he told himself. He'd be back.

He would.

The female knight Rorah snapped her reins and sped off, Umo gesturing for Link to go on ahead so he could watch the rear. Link nodded and finally turned in the direction of Zora's Domain. He urged his mare forward, and sped off.

Once or twice during the journey, Rorah attempted to start something like a conversation with him. Link wasn't sure why she bothered. Even those new to knighthood were quickly told by their seniors that the Hero of Courage was not one for casual conversation. Still, he did feel a little bad. She was for the most part cheerful with a teasing attitude that made itself known when she questioned if Link simply didn't like speaking in front of pretty girls.

The only response she got from that was a frown.

It was a relief when night finally fell on them and Lukan circled back to suggest they stop for the night. When Link nodded and moved to dismount Rorah turned to find Umo and bring him back as well. Working quietly and efficiently, the knights had their horses watered and camp set by the time the moon was high.

The four of them settled around their small fire. Once dressed down, the three knights were far more casual with each other and with Link than when in full armor. Rorah got to work pulling her hair free of her braid while Lukan and Umo chatted to themselves about food and the general gossip of the castle. Link only half-listened, he had no interest in joining the conversation anyway.

He might have been brooding like a sullen teenager but figured it was the privilege of his status to be allowed such indulgences, given the circumstances. It wasn't until Rorah finished freeing the last of her dark tresses that he was finally pulled in.

"So, is it true?" she asked.

Link blinked and canted his head, flicking the side of his brow with a finger with an embarrassed grin. "Hm?"

Rorah repeated her question, leaning in from across the fire with her elbows braced on her knees. "Rumor was Zelda sent you to the desert to track a demon," she said.

Umo shook his head, waving his hand to cut her off. "No, no, it was an assassin. He was chasing some kind of Yiga assassin."

"Don't be stupid." Rorah pushed Umo's hand away from her face and punched him in the shoulder. "The Princess wouldn't send her appointed knight after some common assassin. It had to have been some kind of monster." She turned back to Link, eyes wide and aglow with firelight. "Right?"

"Well, I heard it was some sort of Sheikah spirit." All eyes went to Lukan as he spoke up. Link's right ear twitched and he lifted a hand to pick at the peeling skin of its shell to hide the nervous tic. The knight seemed to take no notice and continued to deliver his theory. "You know, they talk about that night when a group of merchants were attacked by someone all in black with red eyes. I heard its skin was white like a corpse."

"A Sheikah spirit, eh?" Umo cupped his chin and looked to Rorah. "What do you think?"

Rorah lifted her hands. "Why ask me? We have the man himself right here." Once again Link found himself the center of attention. "Well, which is it?"

The leather of Link's gloves creaked as his hands balled into fists. He locked his jaw. In lieu of any kind of definitive answer he just shook his head.

" _He wasn't a monster, or some kind of Sheikah ghost."_

Much to the surprise of those gathered, Navi pulled herself out from the nest she'd made of Link's discarded hat to hover a few feet above the flames of their campfire. It felt good to Link to see the look of righteous anger in her face as she scowled at the other knights.

Lukan cringed. "Miss Navi, we meant no offense. We were just curious about the nature of your mission."

" _None of your business!"_ Navi screeched. _"If you must know his name was Dark and he was our friend!"_ Link let out the breath he didn't know he was holding and swept a hand down the length of his face. _"He- He was captured helping us gather important information for Princess Zelda."_

"Your friend, of course." Link glanced up to see Rorah looking appropriately remorseful. Lukan and Umo too, were wearing matching looks of regret. "I'm so sorry. Our questions were inappropriate."

Maybe if he were in a better mood Link would have tried to reassure them that he took no offense to their curiosity. But to be honest, it wasn't true. So, instead he got to his feet.

"Sir Link?"

He lifted a hand as Lukan started to get to his feet. Gesturing to the master sword still strapped against his back, Link jerked his head in the direction of the surrounding woods and then traced a tight circle in the air. He didn't wait for the other knights to agree. He would set up a perimeter and the first watch would be his.

The quiet of the forest at night was a comfort. Navi hovered just outside his periphery, granting just enough light to see but not so much that it would blind. Link walked a good thirty paces out from their little campsite before beginning a long, circuitous patrol. If he strained, he could just hear the barest murmuring of the knights and was confident he could return if any danger revealed itself.

As the minutes slipped by and passed the hour mark, Link found himself beginning to hum a quiet tune. Something soft and calming that eased the tension he'd been holding in his body. After a moment of thought, he recalled it as one of the songs Dark had played for them on his ocarina.

Navi tugged on the tip of one of his ears. _"Are you okay?"_

Link didn't respond other than for a brief stutter in his humming. When Navi tugged again he shook his head, sending her tumbling a few inches before she could regain her balance.

" _Link,"_ she insisted. _"It's okay to be worried."_

That was the problem though.

The pair halted in their path as a muffled sound of snuffling drew close, resolving itself into a wild boar wandering into their path. Link arched a brow and watched as the brown pig sniffed at a root half stuck in the dirt. The boar seemed to think for a moment, then bit down and began to tug, completely unaware in its struggles, of its two observers. When the root refused to budge, the boar squealed. A high-pitched, wailing sound that was painful to Link's ears. Blue eyes darkening, Link reached for his bow and pulled an arrow free of his quiver.

" _Link-"_

He cut Navi off with a jerk of his head and drew the arrow as quietly as he could. When the string was taut and the feather of the arrow brushing his cheek, Link let the air loose from his lungs and released. The pig went down in a pathetic squall and died, a wooden shaft standing out proud from its eye. Link strode forward and pulled the arrow loose with one good tug.

" _We really don't need all this meat you know. It'll be hard to carry on the horses."_

In all honesty that was the last thing on Link's mind. He didn't really care. They could leave the boar to rot and waste and return to camp and it wouldn't even register. But for Navi's sake he pulled the boar up by one of its tusks and slung it over his shoulders. Without a word or glance he angled his footsteps back in the direction of camp.

Link wasn't worried about Dark, not really. He was furious. Furious because, if he let himself forget the anger churning in his gut for what Vaati had done, what else would he have? Dark, for the time being at least, was well out of his reach.

When the camp was in site Link dropped the boar a few paces off from the fire, to the complete shock of Lukan who looked like he was getting ready to take up the watch.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he said. Link gave him a brisk nod. The young Hylian averted his eyes and fiddled with his hands, not looking sure of what to do with himself in front of Link. "I'm sure," he settled on, "Zelda will help you find your friend once this business with the Zora is done."

Link arched a brow.

"We weren't given too many details. But from what Impa told us, the Zora discovered something that may very well be important for the future defense of the kingdom."

Levering himself down at the base of a tree, Link grunted and pulled the rim of his hat down and over his face, effectively cutting off the conversation. He couldn't see Lukan's expression, but a moment or two later and he could hear the knight shuffle his way into the forest.

Navi tucked herself between Link's hand and where it rested against his sternum, and he curled his fingers over her so she was secure without being crushed.

He let his eyes slide shut and tried to sleep. It was difficult, every little sound of the forest seemed to echo in his ears. Without really realizing it, Link had grown used to Dark keeping vigil as he and Navi slept. And the absence of music from the shadow's ocarina made the night feel all the more quiet and lonely. Link turned over onto his side and brushed his thumb up and down Navi's back as he heard her make a displeased sound. Tiny hands gripped the fabric of his tunic.

Still conscious of the two remaining knights sleeping not far off, Link started to hum again. Taking up the familiar pattern of the lullaby Dark would play for them. Eventually, it carried them both to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Every corner Dark turned looked the same.

He sat at the base of one of the labyrinth's towering walls, elbows propped on his knees and the splintered bone from a stalkoblin dangling from his fingertips. It had been a week since he'd given up trying to find his way out, and by that point Dark had transitioned to simply taking whatever time he could to rest. Eyes shut and focus dimmed, he relied on the steady rhythm of the ground and the sensitivity of his ears to alert him of danger. Still, three weeks had left Dark strung out and raw.

The faint sound of fabric scraping against dirt drifted around the leftmost corner of the labyrinth corridor. Dark didn't hesitate, he'd broken the bones of the last monster he'd killed piece by piece for precisely this purpose. He sent the bone flying long before his eyes could register a threat and a dead sprint had him rounding the opposite corner by the time the lone bokoblin collapsed flat and dead on the ground.

He didn't stop running for a long while. Dark had lost the first of his three remaining health potions learning that where one monster lurked, there was sure to be a dozen more hiding in the shadows. Dark skid around the right branch of the next fork and then the next immediate left. In the corner of his eye he could see a partition in the wall about halfway up its length. He ignored it.

The second of his potions had gone when he'd tried to climb his way out of the labyrinth in a bout of sheer frustration. He suspected one of Vaati's spells, for a fierce wind had thrown him from the top and sent him flying back to the ground where he'd nearly shattered his spine. Not a fun night.

"H-Hey you, wait!"

The sound of another person's voice brought him up short. Dark slid to a halt, red eyes gleaming and body flush with adrenaline and heat. "Who's there?" His sword was drawn and shield primed in a second.

"Wait please, I need… I need help!"

Laying almost face down in the center of his path, Dark was surprised to find another Hylian, just a run-of-the-mill villager by his clothing, struggling to lift his head.

Dark blinked but didn't lower his weapon. His eyes narrowed in confusion. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I-I don't know," said the Hylian, voice quivering. There was a distressing red stain blooming across the man's back and Dark was fairly certain that his legs were broken by their still and unnatural set. Biting his lip, Dark sheathed the black master sword and jogged up to him. The Hylian groaned as Dark rolled him over and dragged him to a wall where he could sit upright. "Thank- thank you."

"Answer my question." Dark didn't wait around to watch the man try to get comfortable and started straining his ears for whatever had left the poor idiot in his current state.

"A sorcerer," the man said between pained hisses. _Vaati_. "He spirited me away from my farm and the next thing I knew I was here."

A furrow formed between Dark's narrowed eyes. "Why?"

"I don't know! He just-mmph." Something must have pulled as the Hylian strained himself for suddenly blood was gushing much faster from his wounds. "P-please," he gasped, reaching up to grasp at the hem of Dark's tunic. "Help me."

Cursing quietly to himself, Dark sheathed his sword and knelt next to him. "Hold on." With careful hands he pulled the man's cloth shirt up to expose his abdomen and flinched. "Din dammit." The fool's insides were all but shredded.

"Is… is it bad?"

Bad? Dark wasn't even sure how the man was still breathing. He grit his teeth and lowered the man's shirt back into place. "Yeah."

The man dropped his head back against the labyrinth wall. Dark was slightly horrified to find that he was sniffling to the point of tears. "I don't want to die," he said. "My daughter still needs me back on my ranch."

"Your daughter?"

The Hylian nodded. "Malon. Wonderful girl; close to your age, I'd guess."

Malon, huh. Dark grimaced. "Somehow I doubt we're the same age." He should go. The man was dead anyway, and even if he somehow survived there was no way Dark could keep him safe. He had no idea why Vaati had apparently chosen to kidnap random Hylians and dropped them here -maybe to feed the monsters while they hunted Dark- but Dark had his work cut out for him keeping _himself_ alive let alone some untrained civilian.

Dark stood to his feet. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

"What?" The man shook his head and clung all the harder, this time to Dark's pant leg. "No, don't leave me here."

Dark caught the man by the wrist and tugged himself free. "I can't help you."

"But my daughter!"

The image of a girl with long brown hair and kind eyes who dreamed of knights in shining armor echoed in Dark's mind. Epona's song danced on his fingertips and he remembered. His footsteps came to a stuttering halt and Dark slid his hand into his pouch to finger the remaining vial in his possession.

Needing it was a when, not an if. He should keep it. Talon would end up dead either way. "Oh for Farore's sake." Dark turned on his heel and stalked back to the man who's ranch had given him some of his first taste of the world outside the Kokiri. He pulled the red healing potion free and uncorked it with an angry tug. "Here," he all but shoved the liquid down the man's throat and watched with grim satisfaction as color returned to Talon's cheeks and his collection of messy wounds healed.

Expression awry with shock, the large-gutted Hylian toddled to his feet and looked up at Dark with adoration. "W-what was that?"

"Oh just my last healing potion," said Dark, tone flat. "I'll probably regret doing that, so try not to die and waste it, hm?" He was ready to leave at that, but Talon wouldn't have it. The rancher reached out and snatched Dark's hand in his. He really needed to stop letting the fool grab him.

"Thank you, _thank you,_ kind sir. Tell me, you're not _him_ are you?"

Dark rolled his eyes. "What, did the eyes give me away? No, you moron I'm not Link, my name's Dark."

"Oh, good." The man nodded to himself, apparently satisfied and Dark frowned. Well, that was uncalled for. Then Talon continued, "then I won't have to feel quite as guilty. Though I do still feel bad, I assure you."

Dark snatched his hand back. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm so sorry, Dark." Something sharp and thin pierced deep into Dark's abdomen and the shadow gasped.

It was a good thing Talon's knowledge of anatomy went no further than a cow's udder. The knife went wide of any vital organs. And though it stung, after spending a night with a barbed spear sticking out of his chest Dark was beginning to get used to working with a weapon in him somewhere. Once the blade sunk down to its hilt Talon let go and backed himself up against the labyrinth wall. "I'm so sorry."

" _You."_ Dark wrapped his palm around the knife and pulled it free, grunting as blood began to gush from the wound. He pressed his right hand against the hole in his gut and sucked in air between his teeth. "Why?"

"V-Vaati said. He said if we killed you we could go home!"

Dark grimaced, stumbling forward to lean against the wall beside Talon, forehead pressed against the uneven stone. So, there were more of them out there somewhere. Not just monsters, but desperate Hylians who would be out to kill him. "You idiot," he said. "That was never going to happen." And worse, he'd just wasted his last health potion too. "Figures."

Talon inched closer, hands twitching like he was thinking of trying to take the knife back. "Please, please just die."

Dark huffed a tired laugh. His red eyes bore into Talon's dim-witted face and glared. "Go burn in the fires of Din." Maybe a week ago he would have felt bad and hesitated over what to do. Instead, Dark lunged forward, gripped the selfish Hylian by the front of his shirt and plunged the knife up and between his fifth and sixth rib. A perverse kind of satisfaction had him leaning forward to whisper in the man's ear.

"Oh and this," he twisted the knife through the thick meat of the Talon's heart. "This is how you stab to kill."

Dark let Talon drop, knife still embedded in his chest, and turned to glare up at the darkened sky. "See that Vaati! Not dead yet, so go tell that stupid pig you worship that he's wasting his time!"

Hand pressed against his wound, Dark kept walking. The damage wasn't bad on its own, but the knife had plunged deep and the bleeding didn't seem to want to stop. He peeled his hand away and grimaced at the bright red blood coating his palm. He wandered a good distance until the labyrinth corridor opened up into a wide space, similar to the area he first started from.

Behind him, the gap he'd entered through shuddered, and the walls closed behind him. "What the," Dark turned back around and eyed the open area with distrust. It appeared empty, nothing but an assortment of stone plinths carrying strange, glowing rocks, spread out across the area. And of course, one strange object, like some sort of statue that sat rusted in its center.

Dark neared the weird, squid-looking thing with caution, marveling as he got closer, at the intricate and curving patterns etched into its metal surface. Fierce looking tentacles appeared half-buried into the ground, as if over time the construct was being consumed by the earth. "What is this thing?"

A strange compulsion urged Dark to step forward and touch. He got perhaps within five meters of the machine when a rumble through the earth had him stumbling. The construct shook and, as a layer of dirt and moss shook itself from the neck of its strange body, the statue's carvings began to glow an eerie purple-red and its head swiveled.

Dark gasped, stumbling and tripping onto his back as a singular glowing eye turned and focused on him. "Great Goddesses." The construct emitted a high-pitched whine and a red light shot itself from the eye and onto the center of Dark's chest. He didn't know what it meant, but as the light began to flicker Dark could guess it wasn't good. Rolling onto his feet, the shadow sprinted across the open space, eyes darting around trying to find some kind of shelter. He only just managed to dive behind one of the stone braziers when a shattering _BOOM_ rocked the space.

Dark ducked his head between his knees as the stone shattered behind him, exploding outward in a rain of stone and fire that sent him tumbling. As he came to a halt, small cuts and bruises made themselves known across his arms and back and he was pretty sure his stab wound was freely bleeding again.

Lifting himself into a crouch, Dark reapplied pressure to his abdomen and turned back to the statue. Its eye had gone dark, but was beginning to shift and rotate. Once again it centered on Dark and began to glow.

"You've got to be kidding me." Ignoring his body's screaming aches, Dark pulled the black master sword from his back and charged the machine. He flinched as the red beam appeared on his chest and kept forward, waiting until it began to blink and whirring reached a pitch almost too high for him to hear before diving to the side. The earth exploded behind him and Dark could feel the burning heat as it bit against his cheek. But the gamble had paid off and he was within range.

Vaulting off one of the immobile tentacles, Dark leapt up and swung for the neck of the machine. His sword struck true, but his arms shuddered as nothing gave and the construct simply rotated to face him again. "Oh, Hylia."

He barely managed a flip over the rotating head before the thing could hit him point blank and he watched in morbid fascination as a whole section of the labyrinth wall collapsed where the wayward beam had struck. It turned again and Dark kicked off, planting his foot on the glowing blue eye and back-flipping away.

Much to his surprise, something under his boot gave and he saw the slightest crack split the statue's vision. Of course, it was the same with almost everything. Dark shifted his grip on his sword and grinned. "Aim for the eye."

It was unfortunate he hadn't been able to keep hold of a bow. Without a decent long-range weapon it became a terrifying dance of Dark running in close, swinging for the eye, and darting away before the construct could get out a shot. He almost had it too, if not for the blood that had been steadily soaking him from the waist down.

The eye was cracked and chipping away, the beam taking longer and longer before it could fire, when a rush of vertigo slickened his footsteps and sent him stumbling. He tried to fling himself from the space, but the next beam that shot off clipped him in the shoulder and Dark screamed.

The force of the blast sent him rolling several feet and when he came to a stop he was dimly aware that his shoulder was a bloodied mess and his tunic was on fire. The hat was gone from his head and dark hair tumbled across his face and shoulders. He couldn't move and the world was a spinning blur. All that was clear was the stuttering blue eye that was starting its search for him again.

This would not end well. His good arm twitched and he tried to pull himself away, but his body just felt so heavy. Dark groaned as he lost the loose grip he'd managed to keep on his sword. On his back, the fire began to catch and spread and he became keenly aware of just how close it was to his pouch. Specifically the one carrying a healthy collection of deku nuts and bombs.

Dark really didn't want to be blown up by his own bombs; or by some crazy ancient machine. Any form of combustion really. Mustering what remained of his strength with both hands, Dark bit back a scream and turned over onto his burnt shoulder, fumbling for his pouch. Just as he thought, the embers from the blast had landed on the rough fabric and were beginning to set in. With trembling fingers he pulled the bag free and tossed.

As Din's luck would have it, the deadly eye of the construct caught the movement and trained itself on the bag instead, blasting the pouch to pieces and setting off a secondary explosion only a few precious meters from Dark's head.

The shockwave smothered the remaining flames from his person, but it didn't really matter. Dark was a mess. Dirt and dust clouded his already swimming view and he tried to focus back on that damned glowing eye. If he was going to die, he wanted to face it head on.

 _Hey Link,_ he thought to himself. _I could really use a hand right about now._

Something white and crisp fluttered into view. "Huh?" Out of the burning remains of what had once been his pouch, Dark saw a slim, rectangular piece of paper sink to the ground just in front of his face. Twisting red lines standing boldly from its surface. In its center, he recognized the Sheikah eye.

Far ahead, the glowing eye started to fall on him again, along with its abominable red beam. Dark grunted and tried to force his arm forward, reaching with all he had for the tag. His fingers brushed the paper's edge, but all he managed to do was leave a smear of red. The shadow sagged deeper into the ground. It wasn't like he knew what to do if he managed to grab hold of the thing anyway. His vision tilted one last time and the last of the motor control he'd managed to keep slipped away. Everything went numb.

Damn. He really didn't want to die.

A warm breath of air blew from somewhere behind Dark, and a stray ember from his ruined clothes floated through the air to land on the tag. The spark took, and the paper burned.

Dark could only somewhat see as the tag burst into a brilliant display of crimson sparks, coalescing into a pair of slender legs encased in red fabric. From the corner of his eye he could see the curved head of a scythe swaying in an adept hand. The pair of legs crossed and a waist bent into view.

"Ooh boy, little brother. You sure do go for the big ones, don't you?" Red and black filled his vision, and gentle fingers brushed his hair, trailing a path across his brow and tucking the bloodied strands away from his face. "It'll be okay. I've got you."

The high-pitched whine of the construct made itself known and Dark tensed, a weak release of air all that came of his would-be warning. But it turned out to be unnecessary. The hand slipped to the shield at his back and slung it away. His shield was tossed into the air and blasted away by the machine's explosive beam. But his savior didn't stop. A giggle rocked the air and the figure in red darted forward, tucking their scythe away in favor a straight dagger. Flipping nimbly from one tentacle to another, the Yiga footsoldier danced away each time the statue tried to lock its aim and poised the dagger for its vulnerable eye. The strike hit home, sinking halfway down the blade, and the construct's whine stuttered and stopped as a new rumbling took hold.

"That does it," said the Yiga, pulling the blade free and running at full sprint back towards Dark. They plucked his shield from where it had landed a short distance away and slid over his body, shielding them both with the black shield. One last explosion lit the night sky, and the Yiga girl curled herself tighter over him. Only when the last of the shockwaves dissipated and there were no more sounds of twisted metal clattering in steaming heaps onto the ground did she drop the shield and roll away.

"Woah, that was close." Dark couldn't see where the girl had gone, but he could hear her move about. Careful hands turned him fully onto his back, cautious of his ruined left shoulder and arm, and she hissed. "Little brother, you should have called me sooner." A sharp whistle from the girl and two small thuds announced a set of daggers falling from the sky to land nearby, each carrying a white tag. The girl snapped her fingers and both burst into flames and sparks. The lightshow faded to reveal two burly Yiga blademasters.

"Tal," said one. "What's going on?"

"This is the one I told Master Kohga about. Come here and help me."

One of the blademasters stepped into view. "What this is, is one of Ganondorf's strongholds. We shouldn't be here."

"And neither should he," she snapped. Tal cupped Dark's face in both hands. "He's Sheikah, Ren."

A sigh from the blademaster and suddenly he was being lifted from the ground. Dark groaned as his burns scraped against the fabric of the Yiga's suit. Somewhere distant he heard Tal hiss at him to be careful. A hand wrapped itself around his.

"Don't worry. We're taking you home."

 _Home._ Head muddy with disorientation and pain he could almost see the trees and fairies of the Kokiri Forest swim into view. He missed Saria. His fingers twitched and he wanted so bad for his oldest friend to come and assure him that he really was going back.

Then the group of Yiga started to move and he was thrown painfully back into the here and now. Tal walked at the front of the group, while the other blademaster had his massive windcleaver drawn and at the ready beside the one carrying Dark.

They made it about half the distance to the nearest labyrinth wall before a screaming wind brought them to a halt.

"I'll have to ask you to put that down, please."

Dark shuddered in the Yiga's grasp and the blademaster's arms tightened around him. There was a sound of ringing metal and suddenly Tal had her scythe in hand and was backing up towards her two companions. The armed blademaster took up a position to the rear. "Tal."

"Shh."

The chittering of keese drowned everything else out and a mass of wings and blinking eyes swarmed around them. They flew in tight formation into a cyclone and when at last they dispersed, it was to reveal the sorcerer himself and Ganondorf behind him.

Ahead of them, Tal tensed. "Lord Ganondorf."

"Ah, if it isn't the Yiga Clan." The King of Evil stepped forward to stand just within arm's reach of Tal. The Gerudo man towered over her, in both height and stature. To Dark, it looked as though Ganon could crush her in the palm of his hand. "Might I ask what you're doing here?"

"Just collecting one of our own. Imagine our surprise to find him in one of your rat traps." The Yiga girl canted her head, the face mask a perfect shield for her expression. "Surely you didn't mean to hide him from us."

Ganondorf hummed and lifted a hand to stroke his beard. "Of course not. This is a mistake, I assure you."

"Oh?"

"Indeed. What you have there is a shadow creature of my creation." Dark flinched. Tal might have immediately assumed he was one of them, but he wasn't sure how that attitude would change once they understood the implications of what Ganondorf had said. Dark definitely hadn't forgotten the Yiga members he'd seen out in the desert with Vaati and the others. Panicked, his good hand scrambled for purchase and he only relaxed as Tal reached back to grip palm.

To Ganon, she laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. We Yiga are Shadow Folk, that is no great secret." She stepped forward, tipping her head up so that the smooth surface of her inverted Sheikah eye fell just under the Gerudo's chin. "I would remind you, that the Yiga are your _allies,_ not subjects. We answer only to Master Kohga, and he has ordered me to retrieve our wayward brother."

Though Ganondorf's face remained neutral, the Triforce on the back of his palm glowed, and Dark could hear a deep rumble as he growled. He lifted one of his giant hands and brought it down on the girl's shoulder. Tal's knees locked, and the second blademaster brought his sword to bear.

"Careful," said Ganon. "Three little Yiga go missing? Not unheard of; I would hate to send such sad news back to your master."

The blademasters tensed. Dark couldn't believe the pit opening up in his gut. He couldn't really be feeling concern for the Yiga, could he?

Regardless, Tal seemed unruffled. "Three?" With the blunt edge of her scythe she brushed the King of Evil's arm aside. "What makes you think there's only three of us?" A hand slid beneath the smooth surface of her mask and Tal released a complicated sequence of whistles.

Behind Ganon, Vaati stiffened. "My lord-"

Whatever the mage was going to say was cut off, as far above they could hear a collection of sizzling and pops. A flare of red sparks appeared on the very top of the labyrinth wall. Followed by another, and another. A rapid-fire chain that followed one after the next all around the perimeter of the enclosed space of the labyrinth. And when the sparks faded, what was left were countless Yiga footsoldiers, spread equidistant from one another, each with a bow in hand and drawn in the direction of the Gerudo King.

Vaati hissed, arms pulled back and robes fluttering as wind gathered beneath him. Some sort of spell seemed on his lips but Ganon held out his hand. "No," he said. "The girl is right, we're allies, not enemies." He took a step back from Tal and inclined his head. "You'll send my apologies to Master Kohga. I simply wished to train the boy, unlock his potential as it were. Nothing more."

Tal huffed and she too retreated a step closer to the other Yiga. "Right. Well, we'll take it from here." With that she turned her back on the pair and stepped up to the blademaster holding Dark. Another whistle and a gesture of her hand and the Yiga above dispersed in matching showers of feathers and sparks. "Time to go," she said and her face mask turned to Dark. "Ready?"

Anywhere was better than this Goddesses-forsaken place. Dark nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay, hold on then. This will feel strange." Tal lifted a hand to her mask and pulled it free. Dark strained, but couldn't make out her features as she rotated the curved face and set it instead on Dark. He couldn't see anything then, and an unnerving tingling sensation began to spread across his body. Then something caught on the wind, the world tilted on its head, and Dark was lost to the void.


	15. Chapter 15

Link hadn't realized how far they'd gotten along the Zora River until nightfall. Rounding the easternmost crest of the Bank of Wishes, he and his three companions had been pushing their horses hard since dawn. But as the sun dropped they caught their first glimpses of their destination.

"Ahead, over the treeline."

Lukan need not have pointed it out. Without the sun to outshine it, an iridescent blue glow -a similar ethereal shade to what Navi carried- began to make itself known. Over the sparse cover of pines that hugged the banks of the Zora River, they could see the very tops of the towering spires that heralded the Zora Domain.

" _Woah."_ Navi leaned forward from where she'd been sitting just above Link's hairline. Nearly falling off as she tried to get a better view of the shining city. _"I need a better look."_

Link dipped his head and Navi went fluttering off in a trail of shining blue that drew the attention of the other knights. Her glowing sphere sailed upwards, hovered and darted to a few different areas and continued to follow the group from above. Link had to wonder how impressive the view was from up there.

"Sir Link," Umo upped his pace and came alongside Link. "The Princess and her party are making camp south of Ralis Pond according to our missive. We should take the bridge ahead." With the inclination of his head the knight indicated a stone bridge crossing the span of the Zora River.

Link nodded.

"Sir." Umo fell back and allowed Link to lead as he took a sharp turn north and headed them in the direction of the bridge. Their horses' hooves clattered against the stone, and by the subtle shifting of the river's current, Link assumed that their arrival had been marked. He watched the unnatural ripples of water for a moment, then stopped when Lukan blocked his view.

"It's so strange. I can hear what sounds like rain, but the sky is clear." The young knight had his head tilted up to the sky and one of his ears turned in the direction of the Zora Kingdom.

Link cupped the back of his ear and listened. At first there was nothing, just the sound of night birds and the occasional river frog, but as he put those noises out of his mind he started to hear it. A deep rumble like the rushing of water or far and distant drums. His ears pricked and he met Lukan's eyes. It did sound like rain.

"It's the Zora," called Umo from behind. "Their whole city is circled by giant, multi-layer aqueducts. And Reservoir Lake spills over and forms a waterfall during the wet season." Umo with Rorah not far behind caught up as they crossed the end of the bridge so the group rode four abreast. Navi too, came down from her more scenic view and settled on Link's shoulder.

Umo continued, "It always sounds like there's a storm there, and the mist will keep you soaked enough you might as well be."

"Been there often, Umo?" said Rorah.

The older knight groaned. "I spent a week as part of a diplomatic mission. Came back with the Kincean flu and had to spend _another_ week on Mercay Island to recuperate before they'd let me go back to Castle Town." He shuddered and Link grimaced in sympathy. "It's awful. Can't stand the place."

Rorah hummed and looked back up to appreciate the glittering spires which were beginning to take up more and more of the sky. "Pretty though."

"Figures you'd say so."

They would have kept chattering on, but Link halted them with an upraised fist. The horses came to a halt just as the riverfront started to give way to forest, and ahead Link could see another horseman in the shadows.

"Who goes there?" said Lukan.

The rider urged his horse forward, and Link could see he carried a standard bearing the Hylian Crest. He was dressed lightly, without armor and only a bow for defense. A scout, or a messenger perhaps.

"I was told to expect you," said the rider. "Welcome, Sir Link and his fellow knights of Hyrule." The rider inclined his head. "This is the boundary of the Princess' camp. Please, follow me."

The man did not wait to be answered and turned his horse back in the direction of the trees. Link kicked his own mare into a light trot, ducking under the first few low-hanging branches of the pines. Navi hunkered into the gap in his tunic and he could feel her nervous tension as she vibrated against his skin. The traveled in relative silence for a few minutes, the three knights in the rear muttering amongst themselves while Link, Navi, and their guide rode without word. In his mind, Link tried to imagine Zelda's response to all that had happened since he'd left his post at her side and how best to convince her that going after Dark was more important than whatever was going on with the Zora.

After some careful maneuvering of the horses through a particularly dense patch of trees, the forest dwindled away to reveal the enclosed shores of Ralis Pond. The mountainous border of Upland Zortana engulfed the northern border, while dense trees lined the rest. The array of Hylian tents erected in green and gold hugged the base of the rocky foothills and fanned out in either direction around the pond. A quick survey confirmed what Link suspected, the area provided proximity to the Zora Kingdom, but was inaccessibly by river. Any approaching Zora would have to make an uncomfortable trip by land through dense forest in order to reach them.

The group acquired a small following as they cut through the eastern wing of the camp. A few scattered knights and their squires, curious to see the Princess' appointed knight arrive so late after his sovereign. Link ignored them, drawing up the vestiges of the Hero of Courage. He could feel his spine straighten where he sat and the muscles in his jaw tense. Against his neck, Navi gripped a stray lock of his blond hair; a quiet reminder that she was there.

Link swallowed down the lump that was threatening to choke him and focused on the path ahead. He'd nearly forgotten, while spending time with Dark, what it was like to have his every action weighed and measured.

At the epicenter of the campsite, Zelda was waiting for them. Standing before her massive, three-winged tent and adorned in a regal, blue riding outfit, she stood with her hands clasped before her and two bodyguards standing sentry on either side of her tent's entrance. Her expression was soft with a slight uptilt to her lips, but Link could read tension in her eyes. Off to one side, he could see Impa sending him a warning look.

Their guide pulled off and Link led his group the rest of the way, quickly dismounting and dropping to one knee. By the sound of it the other knights followed suite, and soon the camp was quiet but for the ambient sounds of night. Zelda kept him and the others kneeling with their heads bowed for about a minute before Link felt the familiar brush of her fingers against his shoulder.

"Rise, Sir Link. You and your companions."

Link lifted his head, rising to his feet and not quite smothering a flinch. It had been a long time since he'd seen that expression of well-hidden rage on the Princess' face. She smiled and her hand stayed firmly set on his arm as she took a step forward to address his fellow knights.

"You must be tired from your journey," she said. "Rest, and take as much time as you need to recover. We will make for the Great Zora Bridge in a week's time." The gathered assembly took the dismissal for what it was, but for the sake of those who lingered, kept her words light as she pressed her lips to Link's cheek.

"Come, let us discuss the results of your mission."

She turned and threaded her arm through Link's, hand resting on the tight knot of his bicep. A little stiff, he nodded and led her back into the candlelit interior of her tent. Impa trailed behind them, and pulled the flaps shut behind her.

As soon as they were granted privacy the Princess dropped Link's arm and stormed to the large map table that had been erected in the body of the tent. She planted her hands and Link could see her shoulders bunch.

"Explain to me," she said, not quite turning her head to meet the other occupants'. "What part of, 'escort Dark to the borders of the Gerudo Desert but no further,' was unclear to you?"

Navi pulled herself from the safety of Link's tunic and flew over to hover in the middle space between them. _"Princess, we-"_

"With all respect, Navi." Zelda lifted her hand in a cutting demand for silence. "I was not speaking to you." The Princess turned and met Link's eyes for the first time.

Shame war with frustration and he looked away.

"Look at me, Link."

It was difficult, but he did. As much as he might not have felt it at the moment, he held the Triforce of Courage for a reason. He'd disobeyed his Princess and was prepared to face her anger as consequence.

"What were you thinking? You deliberately disobeyed me, sent no word of your location or what you had found, and come back to me having nearly died and revealed our vulnerabilities to the enemy." The Princess' face was flush with anger as she stared down her nose at him.

Unable to do much more, Link bunched his hands into fists and dropped back into a bow. He kept his head bent as he heard Zelda shift around and sigh.

"I needed you here. If you had done as I ordered we could have resolved this business with the Zora long ago." There was no hand on his shoulder to give him leave to stand this time, so Link stayed on one knee and studied the grass beneath him as Zelda vented her frustrations. "As it stands now, we could lose our single greatest foothold in the wars to come. And for what?"

Link bore it all in silence. Navi on the other hand, felt no such obligation. The fairy drifted over to plant her feet on Link's shoulder and drew her head back to shout. _"Okay, enough!"_

Zelda cut her tirade short and Link flinched on Navi's behalf. "Excuse me?"

Navi stomped her foot. _"You know he's not going to defend himself, so just stop! We did what we thought was right!"_

The Princess stomped the length of the tent to stand right before the duo and Link felt Navi lift of his shoulder to hover at Zelda's eye level. "That is his choice to keep his silence, it was not his choice to disobey me and put all of Hyrule in danger."

Link's head sank further.

" _Fine, we screwed up! But what's important right now, is what we found out."_

Zelda had to acknowledge the fairy's point there, and after a moment of silence, turned away. "Stand up, Link."

Lifting himself slowly to his feet, Link caught the eye of Impa, who was standing in the far corner of the room. To his surprise, the attendant looked almost sympathetic. He averted his eyes before he could be caught staring too long and looked to his Princess' back.

"What happened out there? All I could glean from the messenger hawk I received was that Dark had been captured."

" _He was."_ Having calmed some, Navi returned to her place on Link's shoulder and took a seat. _"We followed Chief Naifigi of the Gerudo into the ruins of Palu. There was a meeting of Gerudo, Goron, and the Yiga Clan held by someone who worked for Ganon."_

Zelda turned back around to face them, sitting back against the table. "And you were discovered."

Link nodded, making a vague gesture to his ears and then to the master sword.

"Dark was injured in the ensuing battle?" At the shake of Link's head, a furrow formed between the Princess' eyebrows. "Then what happened?"

Link bit his lip, punched his left fist into his open palm, and then brought them both to his chest. Navi watched him, wings drooping, and put a hand on his neck.

" _He saved Link's life. Then this sorcerer named Vaati took him."_

"Vaati." Zelda brought a finger up to her chin. She cast her eyes over to Impa who started to pour over one of the many books piled on another table. "We will look into this person. Perhaps we can still salvage some useful information from this mess."

Link watched, wrong-footed, as Zelda went over to join Impa. He opened his mouth and made a small, wordless noise.

"Link?" Zelda cast a look over her shoulder. "If that is all, you may go. I have arranged suitable attire for you in your tent."

Link shook his head vigorously and wandered over to the map table. He gestured to himself with both hands and then pointed to the red-brown area designating the Gerudo Desert.

Zelda sighed and shook her head. "Link," she sounded like she was speaking to a child. "No."

Unable to comprehend just how the conversation was playing out, Link grunted and made a sweep of his arms encompassing the tent and everything beyond. Then slapped his chest and pointed to the tent opening.

" _What do you mean, no? We need to go rescue him!"_

Zelda pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry, truly I am. But in all likelihood Dark is already dead, and I need you here."

" _Why?"_

"You are the Hero of Courage, Link. Champion of Farore." Zelda took a scroll from Impa and handed it to Link. He unrolled the paper for Navi to see. "And that comes with responsibilities. The Zora have refused us a seat at the table without you there."

Navi studied the messy scrawl on the paper, muttering to herself as she sped through the script, and gasped. _"They found it?"_

"Nayru's Blessing," said Impa. Link looked to her and the attendant gave him a gentle nod. "The second of three existing blessings. We had hoped to secure it before the knowledge could get to Ganondorf's followers, but it's too late."

" _What do you mean?"_ Navi's hover started to jerk from one side to the next, her flight pattern becoming erratic with agitation. _"You mean King Jaro told Ganondorf? Why!?"_

"The Zora have stated their neutrality on a number of occasions," said Zelda, voice rising to quell the others. "While we waited for our messengers to find you, the Zora presented an invitation for Lord Ganondorf to send his own representatives as well."

Impa stepped up beside the Princess. "In one week King Jaro will hold an assembly. You and I shall accompany the Princess as the representatives of Hyrule and Lord Ganondorf will send three of his own emissaries."

Zelda cleared her throat. "King Jaro and his two children will also be present to represent the Zora, and they will decide who will be given access to the blessing."

Link shook his head and tapped the back of his left hand. Navi dropped to the top of his head, wings unsteady with nerves. _"Does that mean Ganon knows about Farore's Blessing? Has he already found Din's?"_

"We don't know," said Zelda. "But that does mean Farore's Blessing is no longer safe either. We must obtain Nayru's Blessing here and then you will depart for Korok Forest."

Okay, Link was beginning to understand how critical his presence in the coming week was. But still… he couldn't stop seeing that spear pierce Dark's back. The spear that had been meant for him. A little desperate, he cast his eyes up to where his fairy was staring into blank space.

" _But… but what about Dark?"_ she said. _"He needs our help."_

Zelda sighed and stepped up to take Link's hands in hers. He was tempted to pull away, but couldn't. "There's nothing we can do, Link. You don't even know where this Vaati person has taken him." She lifted a hand to brush Link's loose hair from his face and cupped his cheek. "I'm sorry. But all we can hope now is that he kept his loyalty to the end."

Link frowned, pulling his face away.

"Otherwise," said the Princess. "If by some power he survives, it may be as our enemy."

Link jerked his hands free. _"He wouldn't,"_ said Navi. _"He's a jerk sometimes, but Dark's not evil._

"There's just no way to know," said Zelda. "His origins are suspect to say the least. And discounting that, we cannot ignore the possibility of him shifting allegiances out of some sort of need for revenge or vindication."

For the first time in his long tenure as a knight of Hyrule, Link turned his back on a member of the royal family. He turned away from Zelda and braced himself on the map table.

After a moment, he heard Impa speak. "From what you said, it seems Ganondorf has cemented his hold on the Gerudo and the Yiga Clan. Has Dark ever shown himself to sympathize with either of these groups?"

Link's hands balled into fists but it was Navi who spoke. _"... not really. But he did find out a little about Kakariko Village and what happened after the blood moons started in the Gerudo Desert. He wasn't happy."_

Impa gave a thoughtful hum. She looked about to say something, but was interrupted as a paige came rushing in through the tent flap. "My Princess," the boy mumbled, trying to look as unobtrusive as possible. "There are three Zora approaching. One appears to be Prince Viras."

At the news, Zelda and Impa snapped to attention and Link stepped into place beside them without thought. They would finish the discussion, Link had in no way given up on finding Dark, but for the moment it would do them all good to focus on the here and now.

"Very good, you are dismissed. Impa," the paige darted away and the Princess turned to her attendant. "Make sure the other knights remain calm. Link, with me."

"Yes, Princess."

Link nodded and fell into step behind Zelda as she left the tent. He saw Impa peel away, presumably to give orders to the other knights in the area while he and Zelda strode to where a collection of Zora stood on the far side of the pond.

Link had never personally met Prince Viras, but he could pick him out easy enough as they drew close to the group. Standing in the center of the trio, a good head or two taller than his two companions was a navy-colored Zora. Outer skin so dark it was almost black, it made the gold rays of his trailing fins seem to glow. The armor he wore across his chest and the armguards around his wrists were finely crafted and bore the Zora crest.

Zelda strode right up to the Prince, unflinching even when the two Zora guards brought their forked tridents to bear. Link drew the master sword free and made it clear in the way he flourished the weapon, just who exactly was wielding it. The Zora guards hesitated, glancing between one another unsure, but Prince Viras only grinned. The toothy smile revealing a flash of pointed teeth.

"Ah, the infamous Princess Zelda!" Viras crossed his arms and looked down the crest of his tail fin at the much more diminutive Hylian. The long end of the tail fin swished in what Link supposed was mirth or amusement. "I see you have finally tracked down your wayward champion."

"Prince Viras." Zelda brushed her hair aside and smiled. "Yes, as you can see the Hero of Courage has returned from his mission. You can tell your father that we will be ready for the assembly."

"Hm." The Prince's focus drifted from Zelda to Link and held. Link could see the Zora's pupils dilate and his gold fins flared. "I've heard stories about you, champion. I should like to test their validity." The double rows of serrated teeth exposed when Viras gave an open-mouthed grin made him look almost feral. Link frowned but did not flinch as the much larger Zora took a step towards him.

One of the Zora guards made a series of low whistling sounds mixed with the occasional high clicks. Viras snapped his head around and whistled back at a much lower, more pulsating pitch. His gold fins flared wide and he bared his teeth. Link could see Zelda watch the exchange with marked fascination.

They continued to trade calls for a few moments before Viras made a dismissive wave of his hand and turned back to the Hylians. "Forgive my subordinates. They doubt my self-control." Then more directly to Link, "I am meant to say that my Father has ordered this to be a peaceful exchange. But I must confess, my jaws ache for combat." The Zora flexed his claw-tipped hand. "So, feel free to take one step out of line. I'll be waiting."

"And have Ganondorf's emissaries been given this same warning?" said Zelda.

Prince Viras' expression turned wry and he straightened himself up to full height. "Of course. My sister has seen to it."

"And who exactly, has the Lord of Evil sent in his stead?" Zelda held fast as the Zora Prince stalked towards her, but Link got between them before Viras could get too close.

Viras scoffed and made a series of clicks that, by the looks of his companions, was more than likely some rude expletive. "Some sorcerer of wind, or the like. I care not for such magics."

Link gasped and Navi flew up into the space between the Hylians and Zora. _"Vaati! Was there a Hylian with him!"_ She flew back down and stood on Link's head. _"Was there anyone who looked like Link?"_

Unmoved by the fairy's excitement, Viras shrugged. "All your kind look vaguely similar to me. But the sorcerer is as of yet alone."

" _Oh."_

Disappointment brought bitterness to Link's mind and his hand flexed around the master sword. The holy steel hummed and the back of his palm flared.

Viras let out a series of excited clicks. "Fascinating."

The second of the two Zora guards whistled and made a sound like the spines of his fins rubbing together. Viras clicked and nodded. "It seems my time grows short and we must return to Zora's Domain. When the time comes we will send guides to lead you to the assembly."

Zelda dipped her head in farewell. "We shall be there."

The Zora spared a glance towards the treeline. "One last thing. Your choice of campsite has been marked, Princess. And it will not be forgotten." With that Prince Viras turned his back on the Hylians and departed, his two guards trailing behind him as they disappeared into the trees leading back to the Zora River.

When they disappeared, Zelda let out a breath. "That was… enlightening."

"Hm?" Link cocked his head a little to one side.

"Viras will try to goad you into a fight," she said. "Be sure when the time comes that he does not succeed."

Link looked down the master sword in his hand and sheathed it. Then he met the Princess' eyes and nodded. He had no urge whatsoever to fight the Zora Prince. Not to mention, any fight Viras started would undoubtedly have circumstances align to favor the Zora. As long as Viras did not force his hand, Link would be more than happy to keep the peace.

" _Did you hear him? Vaati's here too!"_ Navi spun in a little circle of blue light. _"We need to find out where he took Dark!"_

"Perhaps," said Zelda. Link sent her an unimpressed look that he could guess was seconded by Navi. The Princess lifted a hand and sighed. "I only mean that this is a delicate situation. I will not jeopardize our chances of retrieving Nayru's Blessing, but if at all possible we will try to discover what came of your shadow."

Link let out a breath and his shoulders sagged. That was all he needed, her promise to try. All at once the night's fatigue seemed to rock him, and he wanted nothing more than to sleep. Zelda seemed to notice and put a hand on his shoulder. "Rest, Link. We can talk more in the morning."

" _Yeah come on, sleepyhead. I think our tent is this way."_ Following Navi's blue light, Link departed from Zelda and began to weave his way through the camp. But as he did so, his mind drifted to thoughts of Vaati and the week to come.

He would not fight Prince Viras. But Vaati… as soon as they left Zora's Domain, the wind mage would either deliver Link's shadow back to him, or he would spit the sorcerer on the master sword like a roast pig.


End file.
